Away from fossil fuels: NRW plans to green industrial revolution!

Away from fossil fuels: NRW plans to green industrial revolution!

The Transformation of industry in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) towards green energy is the focus of intensive discussions. It becomes clear that there is still a lot to do to completely adopt the fossil fuels out of production. According to WDR , close cooperation between the energy industry and industry is essential to bring about the necessary changes.

Markus Demary from IW Cologne emphasizes the urgency that the energy sector must increasingly rely on the provision of green energy. At the same time, companies should consistently change their production processes. Many companies have already developed transformation plans that they gradually implement.

important measures for transformation

A central element of the transformation is the savings approach. Companies invest in modern systems and use digital control systems for their machines to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Despite these efforts, the energy requirement in industry remains high.

Another crucial aspect is the electrification of processes that have so far been operated with fossil fuels. The current required must come from renewable sources entirely. In addition, green hydrogen is also brought into play, especially in steel and glass production as well as in chemical parks, where a complete switch to electricity is not possible.

An example of these developments is Thyssenkrupp in Duisburg. The company relies on a changeover of its blast furnace route, supported by the federal and state governments to produce green steel. This should be used in mechanical engineering and the car supply industry in the future.

challenges and solutions

The cement industry is a special challenge because it is difficult to technically switch to CO2-free processes. Here the storage of CO2 in the soil is a potential solution, but this procedure is controversial. In accordance with the information from BMWK , work is being carried out in Germany on a climate-neutral industry, which affects a variety of industries, the mechanical engineering, the steel industry as well as the chemical and construction industry.

The federal government supports this change with an instrument mix that includes, among other things, climate protection contracts that are intended to stimulate investments in innovative production systems. The goal is clear: a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by a third by 2030 is part of the national climate goals.

The industrial series generates almost a quarter of the total added value in Germany, but also causes around a quarter of greenhouse gases. Therefore, Fraunhofer ISE sees, as in Fraunhofer ISE reports that industrial production as a central component for a climate-neutral economy and works on solutions that support companies to reduce their CO2 emissions significantly.

With regard to the progressive climate change and the requirements of the company, the pressure on companies to make their production is more environmentally friendly is continuously in focus. An integrated approach to the use of renewable energies, to improve energy efficiency and to convert waste heat is considered the key to the future viability of industry.