Weishaupt is a Partner in Westnetz's Hydrogen Project

In Holzwickede near Dortmund, 100 per cent renewable hydrogen has been flowing through a public natural gas pipeline since October 2022. To achieve this, grid operator Westnetz GmbH converted part of the existing natural gas grid to hydrogen. Three local companies now use the climate-neutral hydrogen for their heating supply. The ‘H2HoWi’ project is being accompanied by the German Fuel Institute in Freiberg and supported by the regional grid operator Energienetze Holzwickede.

The heating appliances had to be adapted to ensure that the heat supply would work. The ‘Thermo Condens’ from weishaupt, one of the first manufacturers of hydrogen-compatible gas condensing boilers, is being used. Several systems with an output of 15 to 32 kilowatts have been installed, and there is also a unit in a showroom. They burn hydrogen with virtually no emissions. Another new feature is a completely redesigned control and operating system developed by Neuberger, a specialist belonging to the Weishaupt Group.

Experience to date shows that existing gas distribution grids can be converted to hydrogen without any major problems. Grid operation processes can also be adapted to the new gas. The project is initially scheduled to run until the end of 2026. H2HoWi is thus providing valuable insights for the energy transition and the future use of hydrogen in heat supply.