The ZINQ Group is shaping the industrial energy transition with its circular business model, Planet ZINQ.

To decarbonise process heat, ZINQ is planning to switch its production to carbon-free energy sources. To this end, the Power2ZINQ pilot project has been launched, implementing the first prototypical use of hydrogen in process heat through innovative new plant technology at the Gelsenkirchen site. Together with 16 other companies, ZINQ forms a cluster of energy-intensive businesses in the Gelsenkirchen climate port to jointly drive forward the decarbonisation of industrial process heat.

Since the summer of this year, with the collaboration of the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT and ESFORIN SE, ZINQ has been working on the DBU funding project study on the grid-supportive utilisation of the generation of process heat through hybrid heat supply. The aim is to develop practical solutions using the example of the energy-intensive batch hot-dip galvanising industry that combine ecological sustainability with economic efficiency. The project builds on the results of the 2002 bottom-up study by the Gelsenkirchen Climate Port Initiative aDownload study).In 2022, the study investigated transformation pathways for decarbonisation and emphasised the importance of a dual energy infrastructure that efficiently links molecular energy carriers and electricity.

Hybrid energy carrier coupling: using electricity or gas flexibly and sustainably

At the heart of the project is the concept of hybrid energy carrier coupling. It enables process heat to be generated flexibly using molecular energy carriers (natural gas or, in future, hydrogen) or electricity, depending on availability, costs, and grid capacity. Using the Smart Power to Heat (SP2H) model, surplus renewable electricity is put to good use during periods of strong wind or sunshine, while operation can be switched to gas during phases of low grid capacity. Hybrid burner and furnace systems ensure this adaptability without disrupting production processes.
Our approach combines flexibility and sustainability by balancing ecological and economic requirements, explains Dr Birgitt Bendiek, Managing Director of ZINQ Technologie GmbH, the technology developer of the ZINQ Group. Hybrid solutions such as SP2H create a win-win situation for companies and the energy transition.

Project goals: combining decarbonisation and economic efficiency

The study focuses on the monodirectional heat battery as a special form of power-to-heat technology. It serves as a supplement and alternative to bidirectional electricity storage systems. The aim is to analyse the economic potential of this technology for industry and to define the framework conditions for large-scale implementation. The hot-dip galvanising industry serves as a model sector in order to develop practical results that are also transferable to other industries.
Together with partners such as Fraunhofer Umsicht and ESFORIN SE, and with the involvement of the German Association for Surface Treatment (ZVO), ZINQ Technologie GmbH is developing concrete approaches to reducing CO2 emissions and strengthening the competitiveness of industry.
Hybrid energy solutions such as SP2H are an essential building block for the energy transition, summarises Dr Bendiek. With them, we are making a contribution to stabilising and increasing the flexibility of the electricity supply in Germany and to decarbonising industrial processes. Our goal is to make these approaches accessible beyond our own industry.