Mainova and Infraserv Höchst want to use waste heat from Industriepark Höchst

Mainova AG and Infraserv GmbH & Co. Höchst KG want to cooperate on climate protection. Together, the two partners will examine how so-called "unavoidable waste heat" from Industriepark Höchst could be utilized for the future district heating supply of the city of Frankfurt. Dr. Joachim Kreysing, Managing Director of Infraserv Höchst, and Martin Giehl, CEO of Mainova, agreed to work together on this.

Infraserv Höchst has large quantities of unavoidable waste heat in the Industriepark as defined by the Heat Planning Act. At the same time, Mainova is driving forward the decarbonization of its own heat generation in Frankfurt am Main with various measures. These include the use of waste heat. As a first step, the Industriepark Höchst site operating company and the municipal utility are therefore investigating the conditions under which the unavoidable waste heat from the industrial park can be integrated into the system. One possible source of waste heat could be a planned data center on the Industriepark site. The Industriepark's recooling plants could also supply waste heat in the future.

"We want to further expand our existing cooperation with Infraserv Höchst and add future-oriented waste heat utilization," explains Mainova CEO Martin Giehl. "Our common goal is to make the city of Frankfurt's heat supply even more sustainable. In this way, we can reduce CO2 emissions and at the same time strengthen the security of supply with climate-friendly energy." Giehl went on to say that Mainova wants to be climate-neutral by 2040 at the latest. The company is investing over two billion euros in the next five years. However, the complete and technology-neutral decarbonization of the electricity and heating market in Frankfurt will require significantly higher investments.

"I'm pleased that we're stepping up our collaboration with Mainova to make waste heat use even more efficient in the future in the interests of sustainability," said Infraserv Managing Director Dr. Joachim Kreysing. Utilizing waste heat from production and waste disposal facilities has long been part of Infraserv Höchst's daily business. This heat has been fed into the site's supply networks for decades. In this way, Infraserv Höchst reduces its need for fossil fuels, although until now only high-temperature waste heat could be used. The cooperation between Infraserv Höchst and Mainova AG aims to include low-temperature waste heat sources such as recooling plants in a supply concept. Technological progress now makes such solutions possible in principle.

In the long term, the project partners are aiming to include further unavoidable waste heat from other Industriepark sources. This can additionally support the decarbonization of Mainova district heating and thus Frankfurt's climate targets.

About Mainova AG

Mainova AG is the leading energy service provider in Frankfurt am Main and energy partner for private and corporate customers throughout Germany. The company supplies more than one million people with electricity, gas, heat and water and generated an adjusted turnover of almost 4.5 billion euros in 2022 with its approximately 3,100 employees. Mainova generates energy itself on a large scale and, in addition to traditional supply infrastructure, also offers products and services relating to renewable energies, electromobility, car sharing, energy efficiency and digital infrastructures. The Mainova subsidiary NRM Netzdienste Rhein-Main GmbH ensures a reliable supply in Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main region with its more than 14,000 kilometers of energy and water network. SRM Straßenbeleuchtung Rhein-Main GmbH provides over 70,000 street lights and innovative services for public lighting. The tasks of Mainova Servicedienste GmbH include metering, billing for supplies and services and receivables management. The largest shareholders of Mainova AG are Stadtwerke Frankfurt am Main Holding (75.2 percent) and Munich-based Thüga (24.5 percent). The remaining shares (0.3 percent) are in free float.

About Infraserv Höchst

Frankfurt-based Infraserv Höchst, an experienced developer of research and production sites, provides sustainable, intelligent and efficient solutions for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The services offered by the company, which also operates Industriepark Höchst, include utilities, waste management, grid operation, site services, health and safety, environmental protection and facility management. The subsidiaries in the Infraserv Höchst Group supply logistics, education and process technology services.

Infraserv GmbH & Co. Höchst KG has around 2,100 employees and 200 trainees on its payroll. The Infraserv Höchst Group as a whole has around 3,000 employees and 230 trainees. In 2022, Infraserv Höchst and its subsidiaries, Infraserv Logistics, Infraserv Höchst Prozesstechnik, Provadis Partner für Bildung und Beratung and Thermal Conversion Compound, generated around EUR 1.6 billion in revenue.

Covering 460 hectares, Industriepark Höchst is home to some 90 companies in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, basic and specialty chemicals, crop protection, food additives and services. Around 22,000 people work here. Total investment since 2000 amounts to roughly EUR 8,5 billion.