BASF reaffirms climate protection goals with several measures to reduce carbon footprint and contribute to green development

It is reported that BASF recently reiterated its climate protection goals
.
In sharing an update on its climate neutrality roadmap with investors and financial analysts, BASF confirmed that it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels and achieve its goal of net-zero global emissions by 2050
.

To reduce global carbon emissions to 16.
4 million tons by 2030, the BASF Group is publishing an annual forecast of carbon dioxide emissions, which may be in error by around 500,000 tons
.

(The picture comes from BASF)

Dr.
Brummeller, Chairman of the Executive Board of BASF Europe, said, "Europe is facing a brutal war that will have far-reaching consequences for people and the economy
.
But at the same time, we must not ignore the greatest global challenge of our time - Climate change
.
Numerous projects are currently being implemented across the BASF Group to further significantly reduce CO2 emissions and achieve our ambitious climate targets
.
We are also taking steps to reduce product-related carbon emissions through cooperation with raw material suppliers
.
In this way, we are driving transformation and supporting customers in reducing carbon footprint across their product portfolio
.
"

Renewable energy becomes the main driver of emission reduction

Despite a significant increase in production in 2021, BASF's CO2 emissions were around 3 percent lower than in 2020, largely due to increased use of renewable energy
.
Until 2025, the use of electricity from renewable sources will be the main driver for BASF's reduction in emissions
.
In 2021, electricity from renewable sources will account for 16% of the BASF Group's global electricity demand
.
The company expects 100% of its global electricity demand in 2021 to be met by renewable electricity by 2030
.

(The picture comes from BASF)

In order to meet its demand for renewable energy, BASF is taking the decision of owning and purchasing, including investing in the company's own renewable energy assets and purchasing renewable energy power from third parties
.

It is understood that BASF has acquired a stake in Vattenfall's HollandseKust Zuid (HKZ) wind farm in 2021
.
Once fully operational, it will be the largest offshore wind farm in the world with a total installed capacity of 1.
5 GW
.
The project is expected to be fully operational in 2023
.
At the same time, BASF has signed a 25-year European renewable energy power purchase agreement with ENGIE and Ørsted to supply a large amount of renewable energy power from wind and solar energy in Europe
.

In the United States, BASF has signed long-term wind and solar supply contracts for its Freeport and Pasadena production sites
.
In China, BASF signed agreements with suppliers to procure renewable energy for its new integrated site in Zhanjiang, Guangdong
.

Ludwigshafen develops new technology and implements new steam supply concept

At present, about 50% of the steam demand at the Ludwigshafen site comes from the steam production process, which emits a lot of carbon dioxide, and the new method is to use electricity to produce steam
.

(The picture comes from BASF)

According to public information, BASF is working with Siemens Energy to carry out the first project in the polyethylene plant, using heat pumps and water vapour recompression to increase waste heat to generate steam power to supply the entire site's steam network
.
The integration of this heat pump project not only produces about 60 tons of steam per hour, but also avoids about 160,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year and reduces cooling water consumption by more than 20 million cubic meters
.
The technology is scheduled to be operational in the second quarter of 2024, and day-to-day operational experience will be accumulated through the project to simplify future rollout at other sites
.

Another project at the Ludwigshafen site is the development of an electrically heated steam cracker
.
Currently, cracking furnaces are heated by gas and produce about 1 ton of carbon dioxide per ton of olefins
.
BASF has signed an agreement with Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and the Linde group to develop and test an electrically heated steam cracker
.
The three parties are evaluating the construction of a multi-megawatt demonstration plant at the Ludwigshafen site, and once the necessary funding is approved, the project could start as soon as 2023
.
At the same time, BASF is also developing a new zero-carbon hydrogen production technology from methane pyrolysis
.

Antwerp to be near net zero emissions by 2030

BASF's integrated base in Antwerp is the largest chemical production base in Belgium and the second largest integrated base in the world after Ludwigshafen
.

(The picture comes from BASF)

The integrated base's CO2 emissions are expected to decrease from 3.
8 million tonnes in 2021 to near net zero in 2030
.
This goal can be achieved through the introduction of renewable electricity from offshore wind farms, combined with the deployment of new low-emission technologies and the planned large-scale "Carbon Capture and Storage" (CCS) project in the port of Antwerp
.

Once this goal is achieved, the integrated site in Antwerp will be the first petrochemical production site to achieve net zero emissions by 2030
.

Zhanjiang: a leader in sustainable development

Zhanjiang will become BASF's third largest integrated base in the world
.
Compared to petrochemical bases powered by natural gas, Zhanjiang's advanced integration concept and use of renewable energy play an important role in helping it significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions
.

BASF and State Power Investment Corporation recently signed a 25-year renewable energy cooperation framework agreement in accordance with the Guangdong Province Renewable Energy Trading Rules to purchase renewable energy power for the follow-up installations of its new integrated base in Zhanjiang, Guangdong
.
This agreement is the largest and longest renewable energy power purchase framework agreement signed by BASF in China
.

(The picture comes from BASF)

With the support of this transaction and other related cooperation, BASF will further accelerate the process of renewable energy power supply, aiming to provide 100% renewable energy power for the entire Zhanjiang integrated base by 2025, which is earlier than the original plan
.

Schwarzheide becomes an example of energy transition for medium-sized production sites

In February 2022, BASF Schwarzheide GmbH and enviiaM formed a joint venture to build a solar power park with an expected annual power generation capacity of 25 GWh, which would cover about 10% of the site's current annual electricity demand
.

This will be the first large-scale solar power plant in which BASF is directly involved, providing solar energy for the production of battery materials for electric vehicles at the Schwarzheide site from the end of 2022
.

(The picture comes from BASF)

At present, the base's own natural gas and steam turbine hybrid power station has basically completed the modernization
.
Once the power station is commissioned in late 2022, its higher fuel efficiency will increase power generation by 10% and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 16%
.

BASF to offer first products with net zero emissions and minimised carbon footprint

By using renewable electricity, low-carbon steam, bio-based feedstocks and efficient processes, BASF will provide customers with products with net zero emissions and a minimised carbon footprint (PCF)
.

It is reported that BASF has developed in-house digital solutions that can calculate the carbon footprint of about 45,000 products sold
.
Using this tool, BASF currently covers upstream Scope 3 emissions based on industry averages and values ​​from commercial databases
.
To increase transparency on Scope 3 emissions, BASF is working closely with suppliers to improve data on the raw materials purchased from them
.
BASF supports suppliers by sharing their knowledge on assessment and calculation methods, and in this way contributes to the standardization of carbon footprint calculations
.

"BASF is making significant progress on its way to achieving its emissions reduction targets
.
And we are ready for the next step - sustainable growth through products with a minimal carbon footprint,
" said Dr.
Brummeller
.

Over the five-year period from 2026 to 2030, BASF's capital expenditure is expected to increase to around 2 billion to 3 billion euros
.
During this period, BASF plans to scale the first batch of new carbon management technologies and accelerate the transition to renewable energy
.

Thereafter, more investment is expected to build world-scale production sites using new technologies and to further expand the use of renewable energy beyond 2030
.