At this year’s meeting of the Friends of Freiberg Gas Technology, we visited the GDRMA Nesselgrund on 11 September – Germany’s first climate-neutral and zero-emission gas pressure regulation and metering plant. It was developed, built and is operated by ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH. The facility exemplifies the ongoing development of the gas supply sector and the challenges the industry faces in the context of the energy transition. Dr Steffen Päßler explained the facility in detail and demonstrated that the concept can pay for itself within a short period of time thanks to its energy savings. The direct on-site discussions and explanations of the technical implementation made the visit a highlight of this year’s meeting.

In the evening, we rounded off the day by sharing experiences together at the Hotel Vierseithof in Luckenwalde. The focus was on current developments in gas technology, practical experience and the future challenges facing the gas and energy sector. Professor Hartmut Krause provided an update on the latest developments at the Chair of Gas and Heat Technology. The personal exchange between former and current colleagues is an important part of our meetings and combines technical discussion with a long-standing connection to gas technology.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Dr Steffen Päßler for organising the meeting, for the interesting insights into the GDRMA Nesselgrund facility, and for the open professional exchange. Special thanks go to our host, ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH, for giving us the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of modern solutions for a sustainable gas infrastructure and, last but not least, for funding our meeting.