Self-sufficiency as a step toward climate neutrality

• Grenzebach wants the Hamlar location in Germany to be climate-neutral by 2025
• Together with the energy provider SM-Energy GmbH, the company plans to install a local district heating network
• Grenzebach and the municipality Asbach-Bäumenheim invited residents to a public information event about local heating supply

HAMLAR/Germany. Everyone is talking about climate neutrality and heat supply; since recent developments more than ever - across the public, commercial and private sectors alike. The important thing now is to recognize and exploit the existing potential of renewable energies.

This is why the automation specialist Grenzebach is pushing ahead with its plan to replace the current heating system with a combined heat and power plant using biogas: The project is scheduled to start in the spring of 2023. By the end of 2024, Grenzeach could already be fully supplied with local heat - and the town of Hamlar, if the residents wish.

Heating network for everyone in Hamlar

Grenzebach and the Hamlar residents can benefit from the heat network. Since legal requirements dictate that a combined heat and power plant must be larger than is required, Grenzebach and SM-Energy also wish to enable residents to benefit from the local heating supply. Therefore, the project partners approached Martin Paninka, mayor of the municipality of Asbach-Bäumenheim. Together, the three parties organized an information event on the planned heating network for residents.

The project was exceptionally well received by the guests. More than 50 residents attended the public information event. Paninka called the project a climate-friendly gain for Hamlar and Grenzebach.

The combined heat and power plant will generate around 8,500 megawatt hours per year. For the residents, connecting to the planned local heat network would mean sustainable independence from gas or other fossil fuels. Biogas for the network is supplied by SM-Energy, which operates a biogas plant at the same village.

Power from the region, for the region

Egbert Wenninger, CCO of the Grenzebach Group and Site Manager in Hamlar, and Markus Sporrer, CEO of the energy provider SM-Energy, have been developing solutions for a more climate-friendly energy supply of Grenzebach for several years. For Egbert Wenninger, the decision in favor of the biogas heating network is obvious:

Sporer adds: "We have to become self-sufficient in energy and use our regional potentials. We've never been more aware of that than we are right now."

Another step on the way to climate-neutrality

Grenzebach has been relying on renewable or regenerative energies in Hamlar for many years: Already in 2005, Grenzebach installed the first photovoltaic system on the Hamlar premises. They further expanded the systems in the years that followed. The site now generates more than 950 megawatt hours and saves around 550 tons of CO2 per year. Grenzebach is already completely eco-powered in Hamlar today. The car fleet is progressively becoming electrified as well.

Energy of the future with SM-Energy

SM-Energy is an internationally active company with innovative technologies implementing projects in the fields of biomass, photovoltaics, and wind power. Since 2005, the company has been a professional partner in the planning, supervision, management, financing, and technical and business optimization of biogas plants and other renewable energy projects. The company covers a wide range of services in the field of biogas utilization. SM-Energy maintains, in addition to Hamlar, other biogas plants in Mitterteich and Meersburg. (www.sm-energy.de)