In the planned electrification, CO2-free technologies such as electrically heated steam cracker ovens for the production of petrochemicals are used. The chemical company is already working on their development with partners. About the common project The CEOs of the two companies have signed a letter of intent on a far-reaching cooperation for the development of additional capacities for renewable electricity and for the use of innovative technologies for climate protection.
“Together we want to pave the way to a CO2-neutral chemical industry through electrification and the use of CO2-accelerate free hydrogen, ”explained Brudermüller and Krebber. Michael Vassiliadis, chairman of IG BCE, emphasized: “Here two strong partners are making climate-friendly transformation and the energy turnaround concrete and tangible. We stand behind this major project because it can be a symbol of the innovative strength of industry and its employees. In many places you work with a lot of passion and great competence to shape the change. In doing so, they deserve every possible support. “
The project could generate around 3.8 million tonnes of CO2-Emissions are avoided per year, up to 2.8 million t of it directly at the chemical company in Ludwigshafen. It shows very specifically how climate protection and competitiveness in the chemical industry can be reconciled. Financial support from the public sector for the construction of the wind farm would not be required.
Bringing the necessary prerequisites together
Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF, emphasized: “The transformation that lies ahead of us cannot succeed without sufficient quantities of electricity from renewable sources at competitive prices! This task can only be mastered through innovative and intensive cooperation between politics and industry. And it needs cooperation across value chains. In our Partnership between RWE as a leading company in power generation and BASF in chemistry, we bring together the necessary prerequisites and the will to shape. “
Markus Krebber, CEO of RWE, explained: “Coupling a new offshore wind farm to an industrial customer such as BASF at the planning stage, who will convert its production to green electricity and hydrogen on this basis, would be a novelty for Germany. Realizing our proposal would really accelerate the expansion of renewable energies. Of course there are still some questions unanswered, but we want to drive this forward: the faster, the better. This is how we shape the energy transition. “
A corresponding regulatory framework is a prerequisite for the implementation of the project. Politicians have announced that they will significantly raise the expansion targets for renewable energies and accelerate the expansion. For this purpose, areas for offshore projects would have to be tendered, which, according to current planning, is not intended to be used until after 2030. The companies suggest using these areas specifically for tenders that focus on industrial transformation processes. In addition, the green electricity should be relieved of the EEG surcharge. The regulatory framework for CO is currently still missing2-free hydrogen production. (sf)
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