German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits hydrogen infrastructure at Industriepark Höchst

On Tuesday, August 9, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Industriepark Höchst in Frankfurt am Main and learned about the development of hydrogen technology from Infraserv Höchst, the site operator. During the tour of the 4.6 square kilometer industrial site, Infraserv Höchst’s Managing Director, Joachim Kreysing, showed Chancellor Scholz Hesse’s first hydrogen filling station for passenger trains. The station, which Infraserv Höchst is currently building, will supply fuel to the world’s largest fleet of fuel cell trains starting at the end of the year. RMV, the regional public transit operator, will operate 27 hydrogen-powered regional trains that will be refueled at Industriepark Höchst starting at the end of 2022. The discussion also revolved around the activities of Ineratec, which is planning to build a power-to-liquid plant at Industriepark Höchst.

“Sustainable energy supply with hydrogen”

“We will vigorously push hydrogen technology and use it for different types of mobility – not just to improve our sustainability but also to become more energy-independent,” Chancellor Scholz said. “At Industriepark Höchst, you can see that we’re not talking about tomorrow’s technology. Hydrogen use is already a reality.”

Chemical industry as innovation driver

Infraserv Höchst Managing Director Joachim Kreysing told Chancellor Scholz about the hydrogen hub at Industriepark Höchst, which produces some 50 million cubic meters of hydrogen a year. “The chemical industry has always been a driver of innovation and will also be instrumental in developing sustainable solutions for the energy supply of the future,” said Kreysing, emphasizing the importance of connecting the Rhine-Main Region to the planned transnational hydrogen pipeline system. “Pressing questions about energy supply and the mobility concepts of the future can only be answered with the chemical industry’s help.”

New production plant for synthetic kerosene

Tim Böltken, Managing Director of Ineratec GmbH, presented the power-to-liquid project being implemented at Industriepark Höchst. Ineratec will be using Industriepark Höchst’s technically sophisticated infrastructure to produce up to 3,500 metric tons of synthetic kerosene and chemical feedstocks each year starting in 2023. At the pioneer plant, the company will use the biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) generated elsewhere in the park to produce synthetic fuels known as electrofuels. “By replacing fossil fuels and petrochemicals, these e-fuels make it possible to develop climate-neutral mobility solutions, especially for aviation and shipping,” Böltken explained.