BASF Seeing Green at Performance Materials Division Plants in EuropeBASF Seeing Green at Performance Materials Division Plants in Europe

Effective January 1, 2025, BASF’s Performance Materials division has fully transitioned to renewable electricity at all its European production sites. 

This milestone is a key step in BASF’s broader sustainability efforts and is aimed at supporting the green transformation of its customers.

“We believe the transformation starts with us. This is our ambition, and it is a core part of #OurPlasticsJourney,” said Martin Jung, president of BASF’s Performance Materials division. “The use of electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar is essential to achieving our climate targets.”

The switch to renewable electricity covers a range of BASF’s Performance Materials products, including engineering plastics, polyurethanes, thermoplastic polyurethanes, and specialty polymers. As of the start of the year, nine Performance Materials production sites across Europe have been successfully converted to renewable power.

BASF emphasized that renewable electricity plays a critical role throughout the entire value chain, particularly when selecting suppliers. BASF Performance Materials sources glass fibers for reinforcing plastics from 3B Fibreglass, a supplier that utilizes solar energy to reduce its carbon emissions. The lower CO² footprint of these glass fibers is reflected in BASF's products, ultimately benefiting its customers.

The company also noted that these improvements will extend across its value chain, including the production of base polymers and other precursors used in engineering plastics and polyurethanes.

Challenges at Ludwigshafen

While BASF has made significant strides, some sites, like Ludwigshafen, will need a more gradual transition. “Ludwigshafen, the world’s largest integrated chemical complex, cannot switch entirely to renewable electricity overnight,” said Alexander Weiser, Senior Vice President, Head of BASF Performance Materials Europe. “Our own combined-cycle gas power plants produce electricity and process steam with a 95% efficiency, emitting far fewer greenhouse gases than the average grid.”

Weiser stressed that the shift to renewable energy at Ludwigshafen would be phased in over time, with staff in the Performance Materials division playing a leading role in this transformation.

Global transition to renewable energy

Looking ahead, BASF plans to continue expanding its use of renewable electricity across its global operations. This transition will be supported by the development of major renewable energy projects.

One example is the Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind farm, the world’s largest, co-owned by BASF and Vattenfall. Operational since 2023, the wind farm powers several BASF production sites in Europe with emission-free electricity. Additionally, BASF’s Schwarzheide site in Germany has integrated a 24-megawatt capacity from solar energy.

Jung emphasized that renewable electricity is just one part of BASF’s broader strategy for reducing CO2 emissions.

“Green steam from electrified processes and the use of alternative raw materials through the mass balance approach are also key elements in our journey towards a sustainable chemical industry,” he said.

BASF has set ambitious targets, aiming for a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared to 2018 levels, and achieving climate neutrality by 2050. To meet these goals, BASF is intensifying its focus on renewable energy, optimizing raw material procurement and production processes, and promoting a circular economy.