A production facility for “green kerosene” is to be built in Bavaria.
The plant is to produce 50,000 tons of aviation fuel annually - for Munich Airport.
Munich / Burghausen
- Munich / Burghausen - A production facility for "green kerosene" is to be built near Burghausen.
The so-called power-to-liquid plant is to produce 50,000 tons of aviation fuel annually.
Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (FW), who admitted to having initiated the project himself, spoke of a "historic day".
Yesterday he signed a letter of intent to build the plant with the head of the refinery group OMV Germany, Gerhard Wagner.
OMV is the consortium leader in the project, and other companies such as Siemens Energy, Lufthansa and MTU will be involved in the plant itself.
OMV in the Bavarian chemical triangle near Burghausen is already supplying the airport via a pipeline.
He wanted to "take away the guilty conscience of the flight customer," said Aiwanger.
The long-term goal is to use green kerosene to "map the needs of Munich Airport, if possible from Bavarian sources".
However, he noted, that was “a sporting goal”.
2.2 billion liters of kerosene were refueled at Munich Airport in 2019
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Passengers at Munich Airport.
Some feel guilty about their flight.
© Peter Kneffel / dpa
According to managing director Jost Lammers, 2.2 billion liters of kerosene were refueled at the airport in the boom year of 2019. That corresponds to 1.76 million tons. In contrast, the targeted production volume of 50,000 tons looks tiny. Germany has undertaken to provide at least 0.5 percent of its aviation fuel as “green kerosene” from 2026 onwards. In 2030, the blending quota will rise to two percent - then 200,000 tons of green kerosene will have to be produced annually.
There are still many hurdles to overcome before the system can be set up.
In a feasibility study, the provision of energy and raw materials should first be determined.
A first small facility was opened by Atmosfair in Werlte / Emsland at the beginning of the month.
There, one ton of kerosene is produced synthetically from water and electricity every day - electricity is supplied by wind turbines in the area.
In addition, waste CO2 from food residues is fed into a biogas plant.
Lufthansa has announced that it will purchase the fuel at Hamburg Airport.
Munich Airport: Electricity demand is still a big sticking point
The sticking point of the plant in Bavaria could be the electricity demand, because the production of hydrogen is a power hog, as is the subsequent synthesis with carbon dioxide.
“The electricity has to come from renewable sources and not from lignite,” Aiwanger emphasized.
A lot of basic research is necessary, said OMV boss Wagner.
He did not want to give a figure on the level of investment.
Just this much: “It costs money and not a little.” OMV has submitted an initial project outline for the construction of the power-to-liquid plant to the Federal Ministry of Transport in order to receive funding.
There was also no information about the start of operations.
Aiwanger named the year 2026 - but also as a "sporty" goal.
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List of rubric lists: © Peter Kneffel / dpa
