An energy ecosystem that is unique in Switzerland is to be created in Dagmersellen over the next few years. The transport company Galliker, the milk processor Emmi, the industrial gas producer PanGas (a subsidiary of Linde plc) and the energy supplier CKW have signed a joint declaration of intent. "Together with Emmi, Galliker and PanGas, we want to drive forward the energy transition and make a significant contribution to the decarbonization and diversification of the energy supply with the planned energy ecosystem," explains Martin Schwab, CEO of CKW.
Hydrogen is produced from wood and water from milk processing
The energy ecosystem starts with a wood-fired power plant operated by CKW for the production of heat and electricity. PanGas will use part of the electricity to produce hydrogen to supply the Galliker truck fleet. Galliker With "Green Logistics by Galliker", Transport is pursuing the goal of being CO2-neutral by 2050. Since 2020, Galliker has been successfully on the road in Switzerland with six hydrogen trucks and will continue to focus on alternative drive solutions in the future, with a focus on hydrogen from local production. PanGas also extracts green CO2 from the combustion process, for use in the food industry, for example.
"At PanGas, we have always been involved with hydrogen. We are delighted that we can make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions with this project and take a big step towards the Swiss decarbonization target," says Roger Britschgi, Managing Director PanGas. "PanGas is strongly committed to the further spread of sustainable hydrogen technologies."
With the renewable energy from the wood-fired power plant, Emmi covers part of the thermal energy required at the Dagmersellen production site for the production of fresh cheese specialties such as mozzarella and ricotta, as well as milk powder. The project is a milestone in Emmi's net-zero reduction target for 2050 and a further step towards reducing internal CO2 emissions by 60 percent by 2027. With a view to closing the cycle, Emmi is also supplying demineralized water from the production of dairy products for hydrogen production.
"This unique energy ecosystem, designed in collaboration with three regionally based national partners, enables more sustainable production of our dairy products and reduces our dependence on fossil fuels," says Marc Heim, Head of Emmi Switzerland.
When fully operational, the wood-fired power plant will produce 100 GWh of electricity and 130 GWh of heat. Emmi will use around 50 GWh of the heat. Other potential heat consumers include local industry and heating networks in the surrounding villages. As far as possible, the wood-fired power plant will be operated with regional forest chips and waste wood. This will require up to 200,000 tons of wood per year. The four companies are planning to invest a total of around CHF 200 million in the production, distribution and use of renewable energies.
Detailed project being worked out
Before the energy ecosystem can be built, further planning and approval steps must be carried out. Detailed planning involves organizing the entire value chain. Before planning applications can be submitted, the zoning plan of the municipality of Dagmersellen must also be adapted. The population will be regularly informed about the project status. According to current planning, the earliest date for commissioning is 2027.
