BMW wants to connect its Leipzig plant to the Germany-wide hydrogen network. It is to become the world's first automobile production site to be supplied with hydrogen via a pipeline, as the company announced. BMW has signed a contract with Mitnetz Gas for the construction of a two-kilometre-long connecting pipeline to the future hydrogen core network and with Ontras Gastransport for the corresponding network connection.
Pipeline to replace truck deliveries
The pipeline will supply the plant with hydrogen from mid-2027. This will replace the previous delivery by truck in pressurized cylinders. "The pipeline supply will allow us to use hydrogen in completely new dimensions in the future," said Petra Peterhänsel, Head of BMW Group Plant Leipzig, according to the press release. This applies in particular to energy-intensive processes such as the dryers in the paint shop.
Some burners are already running on hydrogen
Three years ago, BMW put the first fuel-flexible burner into operation in the paint shop in Leipzig, and ten more have since been added. They can burn natural gas or hydrogen. In addition, more than 230 forklift trucks and tugger trains with hydrogen fuel cell drives are in use at the plant.
The so-called hydrogen core network will comprise 9,000 kilometers of lines in the future. These are to be gradually put into operation by 2032 in order to connect Germany to the supra-regional hydrogen network.
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