SMS group is renowned worldwide for its future-oriented technologies and outstanding service for the metals industry. To enable further decarbonisation of the site in Hilchenbach, GETEC has installed a one-of-a-kind power-to-heat system that includes the largest air-to-water heat pump system currently available in Germany.   

GETEC has operated a heating plant based on fossil fuels to supply heat to the SMS buildings since 2004. The new system transforms almost the entire heating network into a greenhouse gas-neutral system, with a two-stage heat pump cascade, an electric boiler, a heat storage tank and peripherals for generating heating water. The entire system is fed with renewable energy from local wind turbines. 

Staged process and modular design 

The heat pump cascade consists of a two-stage system that is adaptable based on the season and the heating requirements. In the first stage, ambient air energy is extracted using air-to-water heat pumps and stored in a source storage tank. In the second stage, water-to-water heat pumps then transform the energy from the storage tank to the desired output temperature level. The electric boiler is controlled externally for participation in the electricity grid, enabling SMS to generate additional revenue through supplying the local energy market. The system also features a modular design that can be expanded to include additional regenerative system components.  

Sustainable energy and cost efficiency  

With the GETEC solution, the SMS group reduces CO₂ emissions by around 6,000 tons per year. For the project, GETEC took on the approvals, engineering, plant installation, financing, operation and much more. Funded by the German government, the project emphasises the commitment of GETEC and the SMS group to phasing out fossil fuels and implementing sustainable energy projects.