The eco-friendly heat generation system at Crailsheim is a “Leuchtturm” project from Robert Bosch GmbH. The plant – part of the Bosch Packaging Technology division – obtains more than one-third of its heating needs from biogas heating. This reduces its CO2 emissions by up to 450 tons per year – equal to the weight of around 90 fully-grown elephants.

Putting the project into action has involved Bosch in a partnership with a local farmer operating a biogas plant on nearby land. Crop silage and slurry are processed in two fermenters to generate power. The resulting biogas is used as fuel in a combined heat and power plant (thermal output approx. 350 kW). A specially-built 1.5 km district heating pipe carries the heat obtained directly to the Bosch plant, and the farmer feeds the electrical power generated into the public mains.

A feature of biogas plants is that they achieve CO2-neutral power generation. Another benefit is that they reduce or eliminate the methane and odor emissions that occur when slurry is stored. Environmental certification under ISO 14001 attests to the structured implementation of environmental protection measures and ecological compatibility.