We have reached another major milestone on our path toward greater sustainability: Together with our technology partner ENERGYNEST, we have implemented Germany’s first industrial Power-to-Heat system with integrated thermal energy storage at our Sulzbach-Rosenberg site.
The project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), serves as a model for scaling up electrified heat supply in industry. The system converts renewable electricity – for example, from our own photovoltaic system – into high-temperature heat for our production processes. Excess energy is stored in a thermal energy storage system and can be accessed whenever needed. This allows us to replace fossil fuels, increase the flexibility of our energy supply, and sustainably reduce our CO₂ emissions.
Today, the system covers more than 70% of the heat demand of one production line. As a result, we are reducing our natural gas consumption by more than 3.5 gigawatt-hours per year. This translates into annual CO₂ savings of more than 700 metric tons – roughly equivalent to the average annual emissions of 70 people in Germany.
Around 20 months passed between signing the agreement and the official inauguration. Here is an overview of the project’s key facts and milestones:
Electrical capacity: 3 MW
Thermal storage capacity: 12 MWh
Thermal energy storage: 6 ThermalBattery™ modules
Maximum thermal efficiency: Up to 95%
Share of heat demand supplied: More than 70% of one production line’s heat demand
Natural gas savings: More than 3.5 GWh per year
CO₂ savings: More than 700 metric tons per year
Storage system lifetime: More than 30 years
The signing of the agreement between KURZ and ENERGYNEST marks the official start of the project. The production line in question at our Sulzbach-Rosenberg site requires more than 4 GWh of process heat annually and had previously relied on natural gas. By choosing Power-to-Heat technology, we are laying the foundation for meeting this energy demand much more sustainably in the future.
The official groundbreaking takes place on July 1, 2025, with representatives from business, government, and the media joining us to mark the start of construction. The project is considered a showcase initiative for integrating renewable energy into industrial production processes and underscores KURZ’s long-term commitment to responsible manufacturing.
An important technical milestone is reached in November with the installation of the six ThermalBattery™ modules. Weighing more than 50 metric tons each and providing a total capacity of 12 MWh, they form the heart of the thermal energy storage system. Excess energy can be stored in the modules and made available again as process heat when needed, with an efficiency of up to 95%.
In spring 2026, the process equipment is installed. The 3 MW electric heater efficiently converts electrical energy into process heat. Together with the heat exchanger, pump system, and other components, it forms the basis of an intelligent energy system that enables renewable electricity to be used flexibly in production.
Following the completion of all installation and testing work, we commission the Power-to-Heat system in fall 2026. The system now supplies renewable process heat for production in Sulzbach-Rosenberg, demonstrating how innovative energy storage and Power-to-Heat technology can help drive the decarbonization of industrial processes.
On October 7, the Power-to-Heat system is officially inaugurated together with ENERGYNEST. Guests from government, business, and the local community gain firsthand insights into the project and have the opportunity to see the system in operation. The ceremony marks the successful conclusion of an intensive project phase while also highlighting the system’s long-term importance for our production operations and the future of our Sulzbach-Rosenberg site.
“Future-ready production requires a future-ready energy supply. With our new Power-to-Heat system, we are taking an important step toward making our security production operations in Sulzbach-Rosenberg more sustainable and further reducing our use of fossil fuels. At the same time, we are making a deliberate investment in the future viability and long-term security of the site.”
Dr. Andreas Hirschfelder, CEO
“In addition to reducing CO₂ emissions, it is essential for us that a solution like this proves itself in day-to-day operations. The system allows us to use surplus electricity from our own photovoltaic system to generate process heat, reducing natural gas consumption in the production area supplied by the system by around 70%. This is how we are putting a more sustainable supply of high-temperature process heat into practice under real-world production conditions.”
Ralph Hopfensitz, Executive Senior Vice President Global Technology
A sincere thank-you to everyone whose expertise, commitment, and collaboration made this project possible!
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