RMA Kehl, a medium-sized German mechanical engineering company producing pipeline equipment, is pursuing the ambitious goal of fully decarbonizing its production by 2030. A key element of this strategy is the conversion of annealing furnaces and existing flame-cutting systems from natural gas to hydrogen-based operation.

To supply the required hydrogen, a 1 MW electrolyzer is being installed in the port of Kehl. The hydrogen produced will be temporarily stored in three large-scale tube storage systems. From there, it can either be fed directly into RMA Kehl’s production processes or filled into trailers for external distribution and sale.

The development of this hydrogen ecosystem is embedded in a comprehensive transformation plan. In addition to hydrogen utilization, a major focus is placed on optimizing internal energy flows, as well as capturing and storing waste heat to make it available for energy-intensive production processes at a later stage.

The current planning status of this flagship project will be presented, along with practical insights, with the aim of inspiring other companies to take decisive steps toward sustainable and climate-friendly production.