Developing a hydrogen economy is a cornerstone of Germany’s climate policy. Through the planned core hydrogen network, the National Hydrogen Strategy and a range of funding programmes, the German government aims to make hydrogen widely available to industry. In practice, however, many companies find that technological innovation runs up against infrastructure bottlenecks.
Authorised hydrogen core network in Germany. The dashed lines show the new construction line, the solid lines the conversions. Status: 22 October 2024
Hydrogen – no silver bullet (yet)
Research projects such as InnoGuss, led by the German Foundry Association (BDG) in partnership with BDG-Service GmbH and the VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut (BFI), show that hydrogen is not the only lever for reducing emissions in the die casting industry. Alongside hydrogen, the project explored the use of biomass, electrification, and carbon capture and utilisation/storage (CCUS) as viable decarbonisation pathways.
Foundries take the opportunity – where they can
Across the sector, many companies are already taking action to reduce their carbon footprint. These efforts include investments in more energy-efficient melting and casting technologies, increased use of recycled materials – especially secondary aluminium – as well as sourcing certified green electricity or generating their own solar power. Digitalisation and in-line quality control systems also help reduce energy losses and minimise scrap rates.
