BMW Group Plant Leipzig paves the way for hydrogen pipeline link – a world first in car production. – AutoMart Canada

Leipzig. BMW Group Plant Leipzig is planning a
hydrogen pipeline link – paving the way for it to become the first car
plant in the world to receive hydrogen via a pipeline. Contracts have
now been signed with MITNETZ GAS GmbH and ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH.
The approx. 2-kilometre-long link will be constructed by MITNETZ GAS
and incorporate a gas pressure and measurement system, eventually
connecting the plant to the future core hydrogen network. BMW and
ONTRAS are in the process of agreeing the appropriate connection to
the hydrogen grid. The link is expected to start delivering hydrogen
to the plant in mid-2027.

Once the pipeline is in place, Plant Leipzig will no longer need
hydrogen deliveries by truck, in cylinders. “With supplies coming in
via the pipeline, we will be able to use hydrogen in completely new
ways – especially for our most energy-intensive processes, such as our
curing ovens in the paintshop,” says Petra Peterhänsel, Director of
BMW Group Plant Leipzig.

In October 2022 Plant Leipzig took a fuel-flexible burner on stream
in its paintshop – another world first in automotive production.
Today, it operates a total of eleven such bivalent burners, powered
flexibly by gas or hydrogen.

In 2013 Leipzig also introduced hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklifts
and tug trains and now operates an intralogistics fleet comprising
more than 230 vehicles of this kind – the largest in Europe. They
refuel at nine hydrogen refuelling stations located within the plant’s halls.

The core hydrogen network is a nationwide infrastructure project that
will consist of approx. 9,000 kilometres of hydrogen pipes. It will go
on stream in stages, reaching full operation by 2032 and connecting
Germany to the transregional hydrogen network.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Jochen Müller, Communications BMW Group Plant Leipzig

Mobile: +49-(0)151-60743152

Email: Jochen.Mueller@bmw.de

Kai Lichte, Head of Communications BMW Group Plants Leipzig, Berlin, Eisenach

Telephone: +49-(0)341-445-38000

Mobile: +49-(0)176-601-51240

Email: Kai.Lichte@bmwgroup.com