Pilot plant for climate-neutral steam generation in Marburg is now operational
INNEXIS and E2S Power have commissioned a pilot plant for carbon-neutral steam generation at the Pharma & Life Science Park in Marburg. At the heart of the system is a graphite thermal storage unit based on TWEST technology with a capacity of 6 MWh. The plant is a key component of the INNEXIS Group’s sustainability and decarbonization strategy.
“The Pharma & Life Science Park is a key economic and innovation hub for our city and the entire region, but also far beyond. With its consistently future-oriented energy infrastructure, it not only offers companies high supply security and predictable energy costs, but also creates greater independence from volatile energy markets. This is more important today than ever before. A sustainable and resilient energy supply thus becomes a clear competitive advantage while also making a concrete contribution to climate protection. In this way, the Pharma & Life Science Park strengthens the future viability of our region,” says Mayor Dr. Thomas Spies.
Dr. Martin Egger, CEO of the INNEXIS Group, makes it clear: “Anyone who wants to bring together supply security, regulatory requirements, and decarbonization needs resilient infrastructure and the courage to put new solutions into practice. That is exactly what we are working on in Marburg and our other parks. The ecosystem of research & development, manufacturing, and services that has emerged here at the site—but also in the region—in recent years offers ideal conditions for pharmaceutical, biotech, and life sciences companies. Strong networks create the foundation for bringing innovations to market faster and making new solutions viable together. This project, which is also supported by the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Infrastructure and Geothermal Energy, is proof of that.”
“With our TWEST system, we are demonstrating how renewable energy can be harnessed for industrial heating processes. For energy-intensive industries such as pharmaceuticals, this is an important step toward jointly advancing sustainability and security of supply. The collaboration with INNEXIS highlights how innovation gains impact through partnership-based implementation,” emphasizes Sasha Savic, CEO of E2S Power.
The graphite thermal storage system stores excess electricity from renewable energy sources in the form of heat and releases it as superheated steam when needed. With an efficiency of 95 percent, the system is a highly efficient solution for industrial energy supply. During the nearly two-year test phase, the technology will be tested under various operating and market conditions. If the test operation is successful, the storage capacity can be expanded from 6 MWh to up to 60 MWh.
The pilot plant is part of the INNEXIS Group’s decarbonization strategy. At the Pharma & Life Science Park Marburg, INNEXIS is working toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and is focusing on the gradual expansion of renewable and smart energy systems to that end.