Next level in hydrogen-fired bread baking with cutting edge design direct hydrogen fired burners

AMF Den Boer, in close cooperation with Kiwa Technology, Bimbo Portugal, and Grupo Bimbo Corporate, is proud to announce the successful testing of a full retrofit of a baking zone in an existing bread oven using Direct Hydrogen Fired (DHF) burners.

In October of 2025, an existing tray oven installed in 1998, was retrofitted with hydrogen technology. Baking Zone 2 was originally equipped with conventional Direct Gas Fired (DGF) natural gas burners (see images below). This zone was retrofitted with twelve Direct Hydrogen Fired (DHF) burners and operated successfully for a continuous two-week test period.

The successful two-week test proved the concept of bread baking using hydrogen (H2) gas as a heat source. The tests consisted of the temporary replacement of 12 natural gas burners and controls with 12 Hydrogen (H2) burners, each 16 kW (54,000 BTUs maximum output each), with a total maximum output of 192 kW (655,000 BTUs). The hydrogen DHF burners were designed to match the thermal capacity and control range of the original natural gas direct gas-fired (DGF) burners.

The DHF burners mechanically designed to refit typical DGF burners, were installed in the same locations, enabling a fast and efficient retrofit. As a result, the complete conversion to H2 was achieved within two days.

Following installation of the DHF, the baking zone was operational and capable of production using 100% hydrogen (H2) heat in the baking tunnel, successfully demonstrating the feasibility of hydrogen (H2) as a direct replacement for natural gas in industrial baking applications.

Throughout the two-week trial period, product quality was continuously monitored. In parallel, the hydrogen (H₂) system was closely supervised, including the temporary external gas supply to the bakery and all associated in-house gas safety measures.

Mobile Hydrogen gas supply, outside the bakery.

Overall conclusion:

Bread baking with Direct Hydrogen-Fired (DHF) burners demonstrates performance comparable to conventional baking methods with respect to product quality, safety, and sensory characteristics. The results confirm the feasibility of hydrogen technology as a sustainable and viable alternative for industrial tin and hearth bread production with zero carbon emissions.

AMF Den Boer continuously researches and develops solutions in close cooperation with customers and suppliers to improve efficiency and achieve sustainable results that meet the needs of today and tomorrow. As part of AMF Bakery Systems, we strive to be a best-in-class provider of bakery equipment and remain at the forefront of innovation. We are committed to applying groundbreaking solutions in pursuit of our goal: establishing a 100% lights-out, climate-neutral bakery. The DHF burners discussed are covered with US and International patents and patents pending.

Grupo Bimbo Experience

Grupo Bimbo, in a strategic collaboration with AMF Den Boer, took a significant step forward by conducting an industrial scale baking test using 100% hydrogen as fuel in one oven zone. Targeting to find innovative solutions aligned with the decarbonization strategy and its goal of achieving carbon-neutral operations.

During two weeks of continuous production, a wide range of products were baked using hydrogen combustion. Despite technical challenges related mainly to burner ignition, the oven zone consistently reached target baking temperatures. Product quality wasn’t affected.

Beyond product performance, the trial demonstrated energy efficiency, achieving temperature set point. Hydrogen’s clean combustion enabled the oven to operate at a lower overall temperature, as well as natural gas consumption in the remaining oven zones was slightly reduced. Safety systems, including leak detection, purging, ventilation, and emergency shutdowns, were successfully validated under real production conditions.

While further engineering improvements are needed before permanent implementation, this project proves that hydrogen baking is technically feasible. Hydrogen offers a promising path toward carbon-neutral ovens.