- The plant will use 6 megawatts of renewable energy to process 4 tons of hydrocarbon per hour.
- The project has received €14.8 million in funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
- Start-up of the demonstration plant is targeted for 2023.
- The plant will test direct and indirect electric heating methods.
Project Overview
BASF, SABIC, and Linde have initiated the construction of the world's first large-scale electrically heated steam cracker demonstration plant at BASF’s Ludwigshafen site. The plant aims to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 90% by using renewable electricity instead of natural gas.
Technical Details
The demonstration plant will integrate into an existing steam cracker and will process around 4 tons of hydrocarbon per hour, consuming 6 megawatts of renewable energy. It will test two heating concepts: direct heating, which applies an electric current directly to the process tubes, and indirect heating, which uses radiative heat from elements placed around the tubes.
Funding and Timeline
The project has been granted €14.8 million by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action under its “Decarbonization in Industry” program. The start-up of the demonstration plant is targeted for 2023.
Collaboration and Future Plans
BASF and SABIC are co-investing in the project, with BASF operating the plant. Linde is responsible for engineering, procurement, and construction, and will commercialize the developed technologies in the future. The project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of continuous olefin production using electricity as a heat source, potentially transforming the petrochemical industry towards more sustainable practices.
