BASF, SABIC, and Linda have formed a partnership that will jointly develop the world’s first electrically-heated steam cracker furnace that will run on renewable power. This innovative design will allow operators to replace fossil fuel and reduce carbon footprint. They aim at decreasing CO2 emissions at large-scale applications by 90%, helping to decarbonise the chemical industry.
Steam crackers play a key role in basic chemicals manufacturing. However, it requires a significant amount of energy to break down hydrocarbons into olefins and aromatics. Steam cracking is typically conducted at temperatures of around 850 degrees Celsius in their furnaces. Today, fossil fuels, mostly natural gas, are used to reach such temperatures. The project aims at cutting CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels with renewable electricity.
Each party will provide their intellectual property as well as extensive know-how and experience to realise the innovative concept. They plan to build a demonstration unit at BASF’s Ludwigshafen site targeted to start up as early as 2023. The companies have applied for subsidies and grants for the project to the EU and Germany.
