ENERGY TRANSITION: WORLD INNOVATION HONORED IN MAINZ

FUTURA heats industrial halls regardless of the energy source - special award "Innovative technologies for climate protection" in the SUCCESS technology competition

Mainz. While Germany is discussing the energy transition, KÜBLER GmbH from Ludwigshafen has already delivered. FUTURA is the name of the latest invention from the experts for hall heating systems - and it works regardless of the energy source: the infrared heating system for halls uses hydrogen, electricity, gas or a mix of these. It can process green and fossil fuels highly efficiently, thus building a bridge to the carbon-free era. This is one of the reasons why the Investitions- und Strukturbank Rheinland-Pfalz (ISB) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture awarded KÜBLER the special prize "Innovative Technologies for Climate Protection" at the SUCCESS Innovation Award on Tuesday evening.

"I am deeply convinced that we can only avoid a national energy crisis with a joint effort. Together - that means that all protagonists have to get involved. Everyone should play their part and contribute their expertise to the process," says Thomas Kübler, founder, partner and Managing Director of KÜBLER GmbH. "We have been doing this for decades now and are delighted that, especially in the current situation, we have developed a technology with FUTURA that can make a decisive contribution to the energy transition."

FUTURA is a bridge to the carbon-free era: regardless of whether green hydrogen or electricity determines the future, FUTURA can do both - and more: the infrared heating system also uses biogas, natural gas or liquid gas and allows you to switch variably between the energy sources. This works both in mono mode and in mixed mode. Depending on which energy is currently available or particularly cost-effective. "We thus ensure security of supply and stabilize the grids," says Kübler. "But above all, our solution is economical. Infrared is the ideal way to heat large rooms." This refers in particular to halls with a height of four meters or more.

The FUTURA is installed on the hall ceiling. The infrared heater works in the same way as the sun. It heats everything that is illuminated: People, machines, hall floor. The heat comes from above, below and from all sides at the same time. This heat transfer is energy-efficient with savings of 50 to 70 percent. "With FUTURA, we heat flexibly in terms of time and location," says Kübler, "because we only cover the heat demand that actually exists. After all, the most efficient heating system is the one that isn't running." The heating is switched on according to demand, when and where heat is needed. Efficiency First is thus fulfilled and FUTURA is probably the most efficient answer to a complex, difficult heating task that uses renewable energies sparingly at the highest level. Incidentally, the jury also recognized FUTURA for its second technical innovation, as the multi-energy infrared heating system provides not only heat but also energy-saving hall lighting with LEDs. This sustainable two-in-one solution saves the user a complete cabling system including the switching units and controls. In future, only one maintenance service will be required, which includes both.

With FUTURA, KÜBLER GmbH is bringing about a paradigm shift in energy efficiency. After all, only two percent of all buildings in Germany are halls. These halls account for 15% of building-related energy consumption in Germany and the associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The new system has been developed for new buildings, but the industry can also use FUTURA for energy-efficient refurbishment of existing buildings without interrupting operations.

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by Sina Koppenhoefer

On the way to climate neutrality - what you should know about the space heating of the future

Whether in industry or in private residential construction - anyone deciding today on a heating system or space heating of the future is faced with a lot of question marks. Which energy scenarios will actually determine the future? Which technologies will then become relevant? Is it still worth investing in fossil-fuelled systems? What does the traffic light say? And taking all these questions into account, what is the best heating solution for the hall building in the long term, both functionally and economically?

Hardly anyone still doubts that something has to happen to get man-made climate change under control. The ambitious goal set out in the amended Climate Protection Act is therefore: Germany wants to achieve climate neutrality not by 2050, but by 2045. This means that all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, from power generation and industry to buildings, transport and agriculture, are to be reduced as far as possible. Emissions that cannot be avoided are to be offset by greenhouse gas sinks. To achieve this, the Climate Protection Act sets a specific interim target for GHG emission reductions by 2030, namely by at least 65% compared to 1990. So the target is clear so far.

But how to get there? That raises a lot of questions and causes great uncertainty. Particularly among those who are to decide on investments that extend far into the future. One example of such investments is industrial space heating systems with a life cycle of 15 years or more.

Finally more clarity on the path to climate neutrality

On October 11, 2021, the report of the Copernicus project Ariadne¹⁾ was published, a study of more than 50 researchers from 10 institutes who illuminated and evaluated different transformation scenarios towards climate neutrality. This is the first comprehensive and detailed model comparison with robust insights on transformation pathways, scope and bottlenecks. The following key insights can be derived across all scenarios and models:

1. the key energy sources in a carbon-neutral energy system are mainly renewable electricity, green hydrogen and green e-fuels, and sustainably produced biomass.
2. an increasingly renewable electricity supply is the mainstay of further decarbonization of the energy system.
3. increasing energy efficiency alone leads to a 34-59% decrease in final energy consumption by 2045 compared to 2019 in the target scenarios.

And it is also clear, according to the last point: the climate protection targets for 2030 and 2045 are extremely challenging and can only be achieved with massive investments, additional policy measures and infrastructure development in all sectors.

¹⁾ Source: Germany on the Road to Climate Neutrality 2045: Scenarios and Pathways in Model Comparison. https://ariadneprojekt.de/publikation/deutschland-auf-dem-weg-zur-klimaneutralitat-2045-szenarienreport/

Hall heating of the future - a summary of the most important points from the coalition agreement of the "Ampel" party

The coalition agreement signed by the "Ampel" coalition government under the title "Mehr Fortschritt wagen" ("Dare to make more progress") has now been on the table for a short time. Despite a constructive spirit for the future, it still contains plenty of uncertainties, according to the DIHK in its first preliminary overall assessment.²⁾ Nevertheless, greater clarity is now emerging as to how the path to climate neutrality can be shaped. The key statements in the coalition agreement are particularly relevant for investors in energy-intensive technologies such as hall heating systems. We have summarized them for you with reference to page and paragraph of the coalition agreement:

P. 27 - "Economy" chapter "Industry" keyword

• We advocate the establishment of a European Union for Green Hydrogen.
• To this end, we want to [...] financially support investments in the development of a hydrogen network infrastructure.
• In this way, we want to become the lead market for hydrogen technologies by 2030.
• [...] for an initiative to establish an international climate club open to all countries with a uniform minimum CO₂ price and a common CO₂ border adjustment.

P. 59f - Chapter "Climate, Energy, Transformation" Keyword: "Gas and Hydrogen"

• An energy infrastructure for renewable electricity and hydrogen is a prerequisite for Europe's ability to act and compete in the 21st century.
• We are accelerating the massive expansion of renewables and the construction of modern gas-fired power plants to meet the growing demand for electricity and energy over the next few years at competitive prices.
• The gas-fired power plants that will be needed until supply is secured by renewables must be built in such a way that they can be converted to climate-neutral gases (H2-ready).
• Natural gas is indispensable for a transitional period.
• We want to press ahead as quickly as possible with the development of an efficient hydrogen economy and the import and transport infrastructure required for this.

P. 60 - Chapter "Climate, energy, transformation" Keyword: "Grids"

• Electricity and hydrogen networks are the backbone of the energy system of the future.

P. 90 - Chapter "Building and housing" Keyword: "Climate protection in the building sector"

• [We] amend the Building Energy Act (GEG) as follows: By January 1, 2025, every newly installed heating system is to be based on 65 percent renewable energy.³⁾
• In the GEG, new construction standards will be aligned with KfW-EH 40 by January 1, 2025.
• In addition, measures equivalent to the GHG emission reduction target can be used under the innovation clause.
• We rely on measures that are tailored to fit and open to technology [...].
• We will continue to develop and restructure the funding programs in line with the goals and needs.

In summary, this means: Green electricity and green gas (hydrogen) are the energy carriers on the way to climate neutrality. The importance of natural gas as a bridging technology is confirmed - the fossil energy source with the lowest carbon content will continue to be usable. And this is also emphasized: in addition to renewable energies, equivalent measures that follow the goal of GHG emission reduction, such as increasing energy efficiency, are recognized.

²⁾ Traffic light coalition agreement in the federal government 2021. First, preliminary overall assessment © Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag e.V. (DIHK) | Berlin | Brussels, as of November 2021.
³⁾ Decentrally heated halls (zones) with room heights > 4 m are exempt from the obligation to use renewable energies to cover heating and cooling energy requirements (GEG).

 

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Highly efficient and flexible: decentralized gas-fired hall heating systems flank the path to climate neutrality

These statements provide clarity that natural gas-powered decentralized infrared hall heaters will remain the golden standard in hall heating in the longer term. There are good reasons for this, as the heating systems, which have been specially developed for the physical conditions of hall buildings, are clearly superior to most technical alternatives in terms of energy efficiency and economy for room heights > 4 m. Due to their high energy efficiency and very low peripheral losses, infrared heating technologies type dark radiators such as those from KÜBLER realize energy savings of between 30 and 70 percent. They can already meet the requirements of the 2030 climate targets. Added to this are the relatively low investment costs. And by the way, the high-efficiency technologies from the Ludwigshafen-based hall heating specialist can already be operated with biogas⁴⁾ today and are H2-ready. This means that as soon as hydrogen is available to you, you can mix it in with a reliable proportion of 20% by volume (and increasingly more) without any problems.
The flexibility of dark radiator type hall heaters is another convincing feature when it comes to heating production, storage and other hall buildings. The decentralized gas-powered solutions have extremely short heat-up or shutdown times compared with hot-water-based technologies. This means that your hall heating system can respond immediately to additional shift operations or even to changes in the outside temperature - so you don't have to heat up after yesterday's weather. Because the units only require a small amount of space under the ceiling, there is plenty of room for use. And unlike underfloor heating systems, your hall floor also gives you full flexibility, e.g. for changes in machine set-up.

⁴⁾ Prepared to natural gas quality

What will the space heating of the future look like?
The energy sources of the future are called renewable electricity and green hydrogen. What does this mean for the technology issue? KÜBLER, the innovation leader for energy-saving hall heating systems, essentially sees these options here. First: The hall heating of the future will continue to be based on natural gas or liquid gas in the long term due to its high efficiency. Second: An increasing proportion of green gases will be added to the fossil gases - until the technical challenges of producing and distributing hydrogen are solved and the systems run on 100 % hydrogen. Exactly when this will be remains open at present.

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by Sina Koppenhoefer

Condensing boiler technology makes high savings potentials in companies usable

"No energy turnaround without energy efficiency" is the title of dena's "Topics and Projects" section on its homepage "The best kilowatt hour is the kilowatt hour saved," says Thomas Kübler, managing partner of KÜBLER GmbH. Both mean the same thing: It's all about curbing energy consumption in general and especially in companies. After all, this is where enormous leverage lies for achieving climate targets. And not only that: energy efficiency also pays off economically if it is approached in the right way technologically. Modern infrared heating technology plays an important role here, especially when intelligently combined with condensing technology.

Condensing technology converts waste heat into usable energy

The special feature of condensing technology is that it extracts the condensation heat (called calorific value) from the waste heat of heating systems, makes this energy content usable and thus significantly increases the overall efficiency of the systems. Depending on the fuel, this is referred to as oil or gas condensing technology. In short, condensing technology is characterized by the fact that it increases the degree of energy utilization and thus energy efficiency.

How waste heat recovery with condensing technology works

The operating principle of condensing technology is basically quite simple. Explained using the example of infrared heating, the energy contained in the exhaust gas is cooled to the point of condensation and the heat thus obtained is transferred to a storage medium (usually water). The heated water is fed to a buffer storage tank, from where it is fed into an ordinary pumped hot water heating network as required. Water is ideal as a storage medium, but other media such as air can also be used and harnessed in hot air blowers, for example.

Start by identifying and reducing your sources of waste heat

It's not just heaters that generate waste heat; depending on the mode of operation, waste heat is generated in a wide variety of places. Furnaces, machinery (especially air compressors), cooling systems and or uninsulated pipes are probably the classics. Get to the bottom of the causes of unused waste heat by thoroughly analyzing and evaluating energy consumption throughout the company. Afterwards, it is important to avoid or at least reduce unnecessary waste heat by optimizing processes. The following questions will help:

• Can you avoid idle times?
• Are all systems/processes really running efficiently, or is there still a screw that can be turned here and there?
• Are some processes perhaps oversized?
• Are there heating or cooling phases that would not be necessary in practice?
• Do you maintain your machines and systems regularly?
• Do you insulate sufficiently?

With a comprehensive analysis, you can already save quite a bit of waste heat. And the rest? It's best to use it wisely, depending on your requirements.

Use the energy gained from condensing boiler technology wisely

The practical thing about condensing boiler technology is that you can use the waste heat in a variety of ways for greater energy efficiency in your company. "Hybrid heating" is an important keyword here. After all, waste heat can play a major role in hot water preparation or heating rooms. While this variant of waste heat utilization has already become established in many private households, it is still far from being used everywhere for heating hall buildings. Yet this segment of buildings has a reputation for consuming a particularly large amount of energy, if only because of the dimensions of the space involved. There is great potential for savings here. In the industrial sector, for example, the recovered energy can be used for service water or for hot water-based (hybrid) heating. This is often useful for office or social rooms, which are typically connected to halls. In the sports sector, hot water is readily used in sanitary areas, especially for shower rooms. Warm air can be used to supplement energy-efficient infrared heating - where appropriate - via warm air blowers.

Bundle your energy flows for more energy efficiency

It is not only the waste heat from heating systems that can be harnessed; numerous other heat flows in the hall building also offer interesting potential for increasing efficiency. Namely, when you intelligently combine condensing boiler technology and heating. One example is the H.Y.B.R.I.D. infrared heating system from the Ludwigshafen-based hall heating specialist KÜBLER. The fully integrated solution offers a great deal of flexibility in integrating different technologies and energy sources. For example, the hybrid system can harness energy flows from the process (machines, compressors, etc.) at the same time as the heating waste heat. At a textile machine manufacturer in North Rhine-Westphalia, the energy flows from heating, hardening furnaces and compressors were combined in this way. Since then, the heat demand of 1,200 m² of office space can be completely covered by the residual heat utilization.

In addition, there are a large number of other possible combinations. Particularly interesting in view of the usually large roof areas of industrial buildings is the fact that the hybrid system, which has won several awards (including "Germany's Most Sustainable Product", German Sustainability Award 2012), can also integrate renewable energies such as solar thermal energy (keyword: Helio.B.R.I.D.). Heat pumps can also be integrated. In addition, the hybrid system is the basis for the implementation of digital hall heating (e.g. WÄRME 4.0), which makes it possible, among other things, to continuously drive the system operation to the ideal line through real-time monitoring of current consumption. The combination of condensing boiler technology and energy-saving heating technology therefore allows you to ensure greater energy efficiency in your company in a variety of ways.

Why you should keep your company and climate targets in mind at the same time

Only about half of German companies are aware of their waste heat potential - that's what dena writes in its publication on waste heat utilization as part of the Initiative EnergieEffizienz . This means that an estimated 226 TWh of usable heat goes unused every year. That is 36 % of the energy share of the entire manufacturing industry. Clearly, this costs companies an immense amount of money, but at the same time the unused waste heat pollutes the environment. Around 60 million tons of the greenhouse gas CO2 evaporate unnecessarily into the atmosphere every year. Companies can and want to afford the nowadays in view of rising energy costs and climate protection targets simply no longer allow.

Make environmental protection your economic efficiency measure

The fact that waste heat recovery with condensing technology takes place with virtually no additional consumption costs should be of great interest to many hall operators. In total, up to 15 percent heat can be recovered and made usable through the integrated KÜBLER residual heat recovery in the hybrid system. Thomas Kübler, founder and managing partner of KÜBLER GmbH Energiesparende Hallenheizungen: "This figure, in addition to our already extremely energy-efficient infrared systems, marks a quantum leap in economical and environmentally friendly hall heating. In the overall system, energy savings of up to 70 percent* can be realized."
* Compared to conventional technologies

How the combination of condensing boiler technology and IR heating pays off in practice

Practical examples show how these values pay off for hall operators. CO2 emissions were reduced by around 65 % by modernizing the heating system with the KÜBLER H.Y.B.R.I.D. system in a production hall belonging to the AZO group of companies in Osterburken. Specifically, from approx. 226,400 kg p. a. to approx. 79,800 kg annually. Greater energy efficiency was also the focus at Reiners + Fürst. The textile machine manufacturer also achieved energy savings of around 65% by refurbishing its production and storage areas to improve energy efficiency. In concrete terms, the savings here amount to around 46,5000 euros and 299 t of CO2 emissions per year. Incidentally, Reiners + Fürst was awarded first place in the Energy Masters Award in the Buildings category in 2014 for the renovation of the hall heating system and the integration of residual heat utilization for hall heating, compressed air and curing oven in the H.Y.B.R.I.D. system.

The bottom line: Hybrid heating with condensing technology pays off - especially in financial terms!
Those who have to purchase less energy to generate heat save cash. That's crystal clear. How this translates into concrete figures depends on various factors, such as:

• The type and size of your business
• The volume to be heated
• The number of processes that generate waste heat
• The heating system you use

Conclusion: Optimization potential can be found in a wide variety of places

Hall modernization, proper insulation, highly efficient heating systems, and even condensing boiler technology and other options for contemporary waste heat utilization: there are many ways to increase your company's energy efficiency and reduce costs. Feel free to contact us and let us discuss how you can usefully reuse the waste heat from your heating and production processes instead of disposing of it unused through the chimney.

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by Sina Koppenhoefer

Industrial heating - how safe is the gas supply?

The horrendously rising energy prices, the fear of Putin's supply cut-off, the demand for regenerative energies to combat climate change - all this is currently causing a lot of uncertainty. Is it still worth investing in gas-fired industrial heating at all? The answer to this question is important. Because it will help determine how quickly trade and industry will make their contribution to the energy transition. And how well they will succeed in meeting the future requirement of climate protection in an economically reasonable way.

The misunderstanding starts with the difference between residential and industrial buildings

The uncertainty is great. Is it worth investing in gas-fired hall heating systems at all? Doubts are also fueled by media coverage. Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck wants a ban on new gas-fired heating systems, for example, is strikingly reported¹⁾. In the process, relevant details are sometimes overlooked. Because the Federal Minister said besides that it concerns with the "from" for gas heatings exclusively new gas heatings for dwelling buildings (with transition period of several years), expressly however not around gas-operated industrial heatings. In production, storage and other hall buildings, infrared radiant heaters with their drastic energy-saving potential are often the only sensible way of heating the enormous volumes of space flexibly, economically and in a CO₂-saving manner at comparatively low investment costs.

What options the industry has for action

If one carefully examines the options available to companies, it quickly becomes clear that beyond ideological considerations, there is a clear picture when it comes to hall heating. Whether gas, electricity, oil or hydrogen: all energy sources are expensive. The highest costs are for electricity. This is exacerbated by the fact that availability is limited in some cases. This is especially true for hydrogen. Experts estimate that it will take about two decades before the green gas can completely replace fossil methane.

What facts ensure an economic decision

Business management issues are of great importance when looking for the right industrial heating system. This is because all commercial enterprises are committed to making a profit. Industrial heating systems are long-term investments whose operating costs exceed those of the investment over the life cycle by a factor of six to 20 even before the energy cost explosion. A sustainable as well as economically reasonable decision for one or another heating technology is therefore always based on the following questions:

• How do the total costs (consumption, energy, investment) differ?
• How flexible are the systems in terms of
  • Control,
  • adjustments, e.g. in the event of changes in hall use,
  • Possibility of using different energy sources (also regenerative)?
• How exactly does the heating system fit the hall usage profile?

When answering these questions, it is better not to be guided by speculation. Because what the industry needs are reliable economic framework conditions and resilient facts.

Why halls need special heating systems

Halls are a building category in themselves. They are fundamentally different from other buildings due to their high ceilings, room size and changing usage profiles. The categorization by building type would therefore have to be as follows:

• Residential Buildings (= Storey Buildings),
• Non-residential buildings in multi-story construction (e.g. office buildings, clinics, kindergartens),
• Non-residential buildings in non-story construction with room heights > four meters (= hall buildings).

This distinction is relevant for the selection of the right heating technology and energy source for halls. Storey buildings such as residential and office buildings, kindergartens or hospitals with clear heights of around 2.50 meters can be heated relatively easily. Halls with ceiling heights of four to 40 meters and several hundred or even thousand square meters of floor space, on the other hand, are a real challenge in terms of heating technology, if only for reasons of building physics. If you want to heat these buildings in a functional, economical and ecologically sensible way, you use heating types specially developed for halls.

Among the most efficient are modern industrial heaters such as infrared dark radiators that run on natural gas, liquid gas or biogas. However, these modern high-efficiency technologies have nothing in common with gas heaters used in homes or offices.

How much CO₂ reduction potential there is in industrial heating systems

Two percent of all buildings in Germany account for 15 percent of building-related energy and the associated greenhouse gas emissions. It is therefore worth taking a closer look at industrial buildings. After all, they play a very important role in the success of the energy transition. The focus here is on upgrading the energy efficiency of existing halls to the current level of new buildings. The potential savings that can be achieved in this area are estimated in the GAEEH study²⁾ at 59 to 89 billion kilowatt hours per year, or around 6 to 14 percent of the total annual energy consumption for space heating. The savings potential is divided roughly 1:1 between system-related and building-related measures. In one fell swoop, around half of the potential could be tapped through (relatively inexpensive) plant modernization alone - around 38 billion kWh of energy savings p.a. (mean value). This is the equivalent of around eight million metric tons of the greenhouse gas CO₂ per year. The technologies with which these savings can be achieved have long been available and can be implemented relatively easily and cost-effectively.

Which heating systems the industry (doesn't) need

Heat pumps are currently in vogue in private households and other multi-story buildings. In the industrial buildings sector, however, their use makes less functional and economic sense due to their low flexibility and relatively high investment and operating costs. In these buildings, decentralized, gas-powered industrial heaters such as infrared dark radiators mark the state of the art. These heaters are modern high-efficiency systems and are considered the golden standard in industrial, commercial and municipal hall buildings - economically and ecologically. There are several reasons for this: these industrial heaters

• sustainably reduce energy consumption by 30 - 70 percent³⁾
• offer fast payback and high environmental benefits
• respond quickly and precisely to changing heating requirements
• can be flexibly adapted to changes in use
• can be operated variably with methane, green hydrogen and/or biogas
• create a pleasant, uniform, draft-free working climate
• can be expanded with condensing boiler technology to hybrid systems and even to digital hall heating systems
• are often the only sensible solution for existing buildings

How skyrocketing energy costs can be contained

The savings potential offered by decentralized infrared dark radiators in the industrial heating sector is between 30 and 70 percent. They represent a very effective lever for reducing rising energy costs. The record holder in the savings discipline includes digitized infrared dark radiators, ideally in combination with condensing boiler technology (hybrid system). These systems are specifically designed for the particular room dimensions and conditions of use of halls. They can be implemented very simply, very economically and quickly. The practical example of a mechanical engineering company in North Rhine-Westphalia⁴⁾ shows how interesting this technology is for industrial and commercial enterprises. There, the energy costs for heating the approximately 6,300 square meter hall area could be reduced by around 65 percent: from 71,500 euros annually to 25,000 euros. Based on current energy prices, this would mean a cost reduction from around 170,000 euros to around 83,300 euros - a saving of around 86,700 euros⁵⁾.

Liquid, bio or green - modern industrial heaters can use any gas.

Decentrally operated infrared dark radiators have long been able to run on regenerative sources such as biogas. The new generations can also run on hydrogen. Green gas makes it possible to transform the economy in a climate-friendly way and at the same time strengthen Germany as a technology location. As the "engine of the energy turnaround," H₂ is seen worldwide as a central building block for decarbonizing the economy and thus for achieving the Paris climate protection targets. Green hydrogen is seen as the only way to make certain industrial processes climate-friendly. Germany benefits from its excellently developed gas supply network and has set itself ambitious targets as part of its National Hydrogen Strategy. By 2050, hydrogen is to be produced from 100 percent renewable energies⁶⁾.

However, it is clear that the conversion process will not happen overnight. It will take some time before green gas is available in such large quantities that industrial demand can be fully met. Even in the transition period, heating technologies such as infrared dark radiators play an essential role. They can utilize hydrogen admixtures with variable proportions and thus compensate for the volatile availability of both energy sources. These technologies are already available today, for example the efficiency technology infrared hall heaters from KÜBLER.

How Germany secures its gas supply

Why gas is the only alternative for industry

Germany is the fourth largest industrial location in the world after the USA, China and Japan. Natural gas is by far the most important industrial energy source, accounting for a good 31 percent. More than seven million jobs in Germany depend on its availability - and with over 30 percent of the gross national product, a very significant part of our prosperity⁷⁾.

Gas cannot be replaced in the short term without paralyzing important production processes, losing many jobs, endangering international competitiveness and risking social security in the country. There is no alternative to natural gas for the industry in the long term. Politicians from all parties and countries agree on this.

How Germany secures its gas supply

Gas, a versatile and flexible energy source, is not only important for Germany as an industrial location. The high efficiency of gas applications and the outstandingly well-developed infrastructure also make this low-carbon energy source a valuable commodity. For this reason, efforts are being made at full speed to secure the gas supply in Germany. From the political side, work is being done in several directions:

• Promote energy efficiency, i.e., use as little energy as possible,
• Increase LNG availability,
• Fill gas storage facilities,
• Accelerate green gas.

These measures pay into three important BWMK goals at once. Politicians want to make Germany independent of Russian energy supplies as quickly as possible. At the same time, jobs and the international competitiveness of our technology location are to remain secure. And thirdly, the decarbonization of the economy is to be driven forward in order to achieve the Paris climate targets.

Significant progress on the road to independence

There has now been significant progress on the path to a broader basis for energy supply in Germany. Dependence on Russian gas and oil has fallen by around 20 percent compared with the previous year. In the case of oil from around 35 to now 12 percent, and in the case of gas from previously around 55 to only 35 percent. Coal imports have been reduced even more drastically by the import ban, from 50 percent previously to 8 percent now⁸⁾.

How liquefied natural gas offers great security of supply

Across Europe, the planning and realization of new LNG terminals is booming - onshore and offshore. Countries such as France, Italy and Spain are way ahead of us. In addition to smaller facilities, 29 plants with relevant capacities are currently in operation in Europe⁹⁾. Now Germany is following suit in record time. In early May, the pile was driven for the first floating LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven. Germany's "declaration of independence" from Putin's gas is being built in record time and is expected to be operational as early as the end of 2022. Step by step - pushed by the LNG Acceleration Act passed on May 20 - other terminals will follow, for example in Stade and Brunsbüttel.

LNG has so far been fed into the European pipeline network at the terminals from Belgium and the Netherlands and piped to Germany. LNG (liquefied natural gas) is natural gas that is liquefied at temperatures around -162 °C and then requires only a fraction of its original volume (1:600). With the great advantage that liquefied natural gas can be purchased in virtually any market in the world and transported by ship. LNG is the energy carrier that offers great security of supply in the transitional period until large-scale use of renewable energies.

How gas storage facilities are filled

As far as security of gas supply is concerned, several adjustments are being made, including the filling level of German gas storage facilities. They are currently being filled step by step - to at least 80 percent by October 1, and to 90 percent by November 1. This would then correspond to an output of 229.5 terawatt hours - enough to cover about a quarter of annual gas consumption and to get us through the winter well, even if Russia were to turn off the gas tap.

Practical tips: What experts advise now

Practical tip 1: Leverage price increases for heating energy quickly and effectively

Energy prices have risen to new dimensions in recent months. A megawatt hour (MWh) cost in May at the Dutch stock exchange TTF approximately ten to 20 times as much as one year ago¹⁰⁾. To cushion these enormous price increases well next winter, experts recommend:

• Learning to understand hall buildings in terms of heating technology, with the aim of using all possible levers to make savings
• reduce energy consumption as quickly as possible
• to use economical and future-proof technologies
• to plan for regenerative energies.

Practical tip 2: Exploit efficiency potential as quickly as possible

Due to their size and high ceilings, hall buildings consume far more energy than, for example, office buildings or other multi-story buildings when they need to be warm in winter. Often, however, far too much energy is burned up. The reasons for this:

• outdated or insufficiently efficient plant technology,
• inaccurate control,
• the heating does not match the usage profile of the hall,
• other important savings potentials such as residual heat are overlooked.

On the other hand, special decentralized industrial heating systems with gaseous energy sources developed for use in hall buildings often offer impressive savings of 30 - 70 percent. These can be realized quickly, cost-effectively and economically.

Practical tip 3: Don't heat according to the weather

Industrial heaters such as infrared dark radiators can be adapted very flexibly to different usage requirements, regardless of whether they are powered by fossil fuels or renewables. They thus meet another important requirement of industry, which may need to adapt its processes spontaneously to dynamic market demands. Infrared dark radiators have fast heat-up times. This means that additional shifts can be run at short notice if necessary. In addition, individual hall zones can be controlled individually - heating is only provided in the areas where work is being carried out.

Flexibility is one of the important points in which gas-operated hall heating systems differ from hot-water-based technologies (for example, heat pumps). Heat pumps are useful in residential or office applications. These hot-water-based systems can hardly meet the dynamic requirements of industry due to their inertia. In addition, they require an enormous amount of space either under the hall ceiling or in the floor, limiting flexibility here as well. For example, when setting up machines or changing the use of the hall. Once the underfloor heating has been installed, the floor can no longer be drilled into without further ado in order to relocate or reinstall machines.

Practical tip 4: Optimize the operation of your industrial heating system.

The most economical heating system is the one you don't need. Experts therefore advise:

• Only use systems that offer fast heat-up times and are flexible.
• Heat only where quality heat is really needed for people.
• Lower the temperatures for unfrequented hall areas in good time.

By the way: Intelligent heating control systems with integrated energy management systems (e.g. E.M.M.A. from KÜBLER) create transparency about the relevant parameters of your heating process and help to automatically drive the heating operation to the ideal line. Optimized operation of the system alone offers potential savings of up to 20 percent.

References

1) Source: https://www.report-k.de/wirtschaftsminister-habeck-will-verbot-neuer-gasheizungen/
2) The study "Overall Analysis of Energy Efficiency of Indoor Buildings" (ITG Institut für Technische Gebäudeausrüstung Dresden and University of Kassel, Department of Building Physics, 2009-2011) is based on the following figures:

• Total energy consumption for space heating in Germany: 625 billion kWh, of which
• Space heating share of residential buildings (18 million): 428 billion kWh,
• Space heating share of indoor buildings (359,000 of 1.5 million non-residential buildings, built 1960 to 2009): 116 billion kWh,
• Space heating share of remaining non-residential buildings (1.14 million): 81 billion kWh,
• Renovation potential of indoor buildings: 64 percent.

The dena Building Report 2022 does not deal separately with hall buildings. However, both the building stock and climate-adjusted heat consumption continued to rise in 2019.

3) Energy-saving hall heating systems from KÜBLER compared to conventional units.
4) Project energetically refurbished with H.Y.B.R.I.D. (dark radiators, condensing technology and digital control from KÜBLER GmbH Energiesparende Hallenheizungen, Ludwigshafen).
5) Calculation basis: Original energy price in the mix gas/oil Ø approx. 0.05 Euro / kWh, current energy price: Ø 0.13 Euro / kWh
6) https://www.pwc.de/de/energiewirtschaft/wasserstoff-ein-essentieller-baustein-der-energiewende/chance-zur-dekarbonisierung-gruener-wasserstoff-als-motor-der-energiewende.html?utm_source=google.com&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=XM_trustintransformation_SV&utm_content=text&utm_term=gr%C3%BCner%20wasserstoff
7) https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/wirtschaft/gasversorgung-energiesicherheit-deutschland-pipelines-russland-100.html
8) Handelsblatt 01.05.2022, https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/import-deutschland-verringert-energieabhaengigkeit-von-russland/28293452.html
9) Source: Chemietechnik 25.02.2022, https://www.chemietechnik.de/energie-utilities/interaktive-karte-lng-terminals-in-europa-802.html
10) https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/energiekrise-gaspreis-bricht-alle-rekorde-forderung-nach-preisdeckel/28139228.html

 

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by Sina Koppenhoefer

HEATING MAINTENANCE IN SUMMER: 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY TACKLE MAINTENANCE

When the days get warmer, the heating systems in production, storage and other hall buildings are no longer needed for the time being. But after the heating period is before the heating period - so check off now what there is hardly any time for in the fall and winter: heating maintenance!

In this article, we have compiled five good reasons why you should tackle heating maintenance as early as possible.

Reason 1: Regular heating maintenance is mandatory

Various standards, technical rules but also the Building Energy Code recommend owners of infrared-based indoor heating systems to regularly maintain and service their systems. These here are the most important ones:

• Building Energy Act (GEG) § 60
• Gas appliance regulation (EU) 2016/426
• Technical rule for gas installations (TRGI)
• DVGW regulations G 638-1 and G 638-2
• Contract award and contract regulations for construction work (VOB/B)
• Ordinance on the sweeping and inspection of installations (KÜO)

In order to have legal security, the legal obligation by the GEG alone should be reason enough to have your hall heating system serviced annually. But let's take a look at four more good reasons why maintenance should have a fixed date in your fiscal year.

Reason 2: Annual heating system maintenance increases availability and productivity.

A heating system is in operation for an average of 1,700 hours per year. Compare this with a passenger car. At an average speed of 60 km/h, this operating time would correspond to a mileage of more than 100,000 km p.a. - unthinkable without inspection. The same applies to your hall heating system. Regular maintenance is a must. And it offers you many advantages.
Starting with the good feeling of starting the next heating period safely. It is true that hall heaters from a brand manufacturer are heavy-duty and designed for reliable continuous operation, but wear parts also have to be replaced or malfunctions can occur. A regular check is important so that you are not caught cold in winter and production has to come to a standstill in the worst case. Maintenance therefore means full functionality of the hall heating system. And this means high availability and productivity in all affected processes. In addition, heating maintenance is the best prerequisite for consistently high heating comfort, economical operation, low emission values, as well as for maintaining the value and long life cycle of your system.

Reason 3: With a maintenance contract, you benefit from an extended warranty period

There is another point to consider in this context: the warranty period. If your new heating system has a manufacturer's warranty, this is usually also linked to regular maintenance. Many manufacturers offer you maintenance contracts in this context. The statutory warranty period of one year for components in contact with fire is then increased to two years, for example, and the two-year warranty for components not in contact with fire is extended to five years. If you forgo the service contract and neglect heating maintenance, you also forgo this important benefit.

So you'd better play it safe and take care of your maintenance appointment!

Reason 4: If you have your heating system serviced, you save money and protect the environment

The advantage of infrared heaters: They heat highly efficiently and save energy. Depending on the hall project, you can reduce energy consumption and the corresponding costs by up to 70 % compared to conventional heaters. CO₂ emissions can also be significantly minimized in this way. However, this economic and ecological advantage can gradually fizzle out if heating maintenance is not commissioned at regular intervals and the system is checked or adjusted. An inaccuracy in the temperature display of just 1 °C can result in additional consumption of 5 to 7 %. In addition, impurities or a poorly adjusted burner can further reduce the efficiency of the heating system. Regular maintenance is the only way to ensure that energy is used efficiently and with low emissions. An annual service therefore not only saves trouble, but also cash. And: It ensures predictable maintenance costs at manageable fixed prices instead of incalculable costs in the event of a malfunction.
This makes it clear that anyone who skips heating maintenance is increasingly heating inefficiently. And energy efficiency is an important keyword that is firmly anchored in the climate protection goals of the EU and the German government. To achieve these goals, companies are required to reduce pollutant emissions in their heating and cooling supply. The basis for this is, among other things, energy-efficient buildings and equipment. Anyone tackling heating maintenance in the spring or summer should therefore take advantage of the opportunity to identify potential savings. After all, there is still time before the next heating period begins! Can the system structure or hall layout be designed more efficiently? Can heating equipment be optimized with new, digital components or even replaced with more efficient equipment? There are many possibilities.

So you should definitely schedule heating maintenance and inspection of your system if you want to reduce heating costs and increase efficiency. After all, the new CO₂ tax has been in effect since January 01, 2021, making heating with fossil fuels more costly year after year. Build ahead here and keep your hall heating at an optimal efficiency level.

Reason 5: With heating maintenance you also increase employee satisfaction.

Heating maintenance increases the operational safety and reliability of your heating system. If you have your heating system checked by a specialist in the spring or summer, you will have enough time to rectify any faults. This ensures that your system will continue to work reliably in the next heating season - a real plus for your employees, too. After all, their satisfaction and productivity depend to a large extent on the right room climate. You can guarantee this with a 100% functional heating system.

Conclusion: There is nothing that speaks against regular heating maintenance!

No matter how you look at it: there are no reasons against heating maintenance. But instead, there are many good reasons for it. More efficiency. Lower heating costs. Increased service life. Extended warranty protection. Greater operational safety and reliability. Higher productivity. And, of course, satisfied employees. With this in mind, it's best to commission your heating maintenance directly afterwards and benefit from all these advantages!

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by Sina Koppenhoefer