Burial in continuous operation: crematorium no longer turns off oven due to gas crisis
Created: 08/10/2022 11:03 am
By: Patricia Huber
Gas is expensive and must be saved.
Therefore, a crematorium in Rhineland-Palatinate has already changed its operations.
The ovens there now run around the clock.
Dachsenhausen – The energy crisis is particularly affecting companies that are heavily dependent on gas.
Since Russia has severely curtailed gas supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, gas must now be saved to avoid an emergency in winter.
This is particularly difficult for crematoria.
The furnaces there have so far mostly been heated with gas – but this process now has to be reconsidered.
Gas Crisis: Crematorium no longer allows ovens to cool down
Funeral director Karl-Heinz Könsgen's "Rhein-Taunus crematorium" has already found a way to get by without gas.
"In addition to the price increase of 600 percent, the proclamation of the gas early warning level by the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs caused uncertainty for us," he explained to the
Bild
newspaper.
In order to be able to continue operations despite this, Könsgen has come up with an unusual solution.
The incinerators contain stones that were previously heated to 800 degrees with the help of gas, bringing them up to operating temperature.
So the simple solution was to simply never let the stones get cold.
This means that Könsgen's crematorium has been in operation without interruption since the beginning of August.
Because the stones get the missing gas energy from the combustion process itself. This means that there is no need to reheat and no more gas has to be used.
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Gas crisis: Other crematoria are also working on savings measures
The only shortcoming since the changeover: The company has to run around the clock, which means that the employees also have to work nights and weekends.
But Könsgen emphasizes: "Our employees understand this and have accepted the new working hours."
However, continuous operation is not the only way to become less dependent on gas.
Some crematoria are planning to switch to electric systems.
In Augsburg, consideration has already been given to reducing the statutory minimum temperature for cremations to 750 degrees with a special municipal permit.
(ph)