Burda’s German printing plants operate highly efficient combined heat and power (CHP) plants to produce both electricity and heat. The major advantage: the waste heat generated during electricity production is reused to produce the high-pressure steam required for the printing process. This greatly increases efficiency and reduces raw material use compared with separate production of electricity and heat. Part of the waste heat is also fed into Offenburg’s district heating network.
Currently, BurdaDruck still uses natural gas as the primary energy source. However, alternatives such as biomethane and green hydrogen are continuously being evaluated. In future, Burda aims to increase the share of self-generated electricity and expand renewable regional energy sources such as photovoltaic and wind power at its sites.