Are refining and petrochemical enterprises accelerating their deployment in the biomanufacturing sector? Why are international chemical companies increasing their investments in biomanufacturing? What new pathways toward green, low-carbon development is BASF exploring?

Reporter: As the biomanufacturing industry develops, the stable supply of biomass feedstocks, price volatility, and sustainability certification are increasingly becoming critical influencing factors. How does BASF mitigate the uncertainties arising from feedstock supply when deploying biomanufacturing and bio-based products? BASF: Overall, we believe globally available sustainable biomass resources hold significant potential and can serve as an increasingly important renewable feedstock source for the chemical industry. We estimate that by 2050, bio-based raw materials meeting BASF’s sustainability criteria could fulfill approximately 10% to 50% of our raw material requirements. Of course, realizing this potential depends on multiple factors—including regional resource availability, geopolitical conditions, and relevant policies and regulations. Meanwhile, throughout our advancement of biomanufacturing and bio-based products, we consistently prioritize the long-term sustainability, availability, and resilience of feedstock supply chains to ensure stable and competitive business growth. Reporter: BASF has already applied bio-based solutions across multiple sectors, including chemicals, agriculture, and personal care. Based on BASF’s industrial practice, which application areas are most likely to yield commercially competitive biomanufactured products first? BASF: Drawing on BASF’s industrial experience, two categories of applications are most likely to achieve rapid market entry and economic competitiveness first: (1) “drop-in” solutions that can be directly integrated into existing production networks, and (2) consumer goods categories where end consumers are willing to pay a premium for certified sustainable products. Our practical experience across multiple sectors confirms this assessment. In packaging, BASF’s ecovio® soft packaging portfolio serves as a representative example. Its multi-barrier solutions are compatible with organic recycling and paper recycling; bio-based content can reach up to 80%, and the products can also be supplied in certified Biomass Balance (BMB) material form—balancing high performance with circular economy requirements. In personal care, Trilon® M Max BioBased chelating agent is derived from bio-fermentation feedstocks and produced via the Biomass Balance approach, reducing CO₂ emissions by 0.96 kg per kilogram of product. Moreover, thanks to its highly efficient and broad-spectrum chelating capability—and synergistic effects with surfactants—the product achieves identical washing performance while significantly lowering electricity and thermal energy consumption during washing, thereby further reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In the automotive sector, BASF empowers performance, design, and functional upgrades in the automotive industry through sustainable materials and bio-based solutions—while simultaneously lowering carbon emissions. For instance, the KIA EV3 Study Car features eight BASF sustainable materials across multiple body parts and components, including Ccycled® and biomass-balanced engineering plastics (Ultramid® and Ultradur®), bio-based and Cycled® polyurethanes (Elastoflex®), post-industrial recycled Infinergy® expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (E-TPU) for supercritical foaming (SCF) processes, bio-based polyurethane synthetic leather (Haptex®), and water-based adhesives.

Production capacity expanded by another 50,000 tons! BASF strengthens its polystyrene value chain at its Ludwigshafen site.

Neopor® is a graphite-containing expandable polystyrene (EPS) bead developed by BASF, primarily used as a raw material for manufacturing energy-efficient insulation materials for building envelopes. The graphite content imparts a gray appearance to the material and enhances its thermal insulation performance by up to 30% compared to conventional white EPS. Insulation products made from Neopor® have set new benchmarks in both new construction and renovation projects. Dr. Stephan Körner, Member of the Board of Executive Directors and Chief Technology Officer of BASF, stated: “Under BASF’s TripleS (Sustainable Solutions Steering) sustainability assessment methodology—which evaluates all BASF products—Neopor® is classified as a ‘Pioneer’ in the highest category and forms part of BASF’s ‘Sustainable Future Solutions’. Our goal is to become customers’ preferred chemical company in supporting their green transformation—and Neopor® exemplifies precisely how we deliver on that promise.” Demand for insulation materials expected to rise BASF anticipates a substantial increase in demand for energy-efficient building retrofit materials over the coming years. The European Union aims to achieve climate neutrality in the building sector by 2050. To realize this ambitious target, implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) across all EU member states imposes stringent requirements for improving building energy efficiency. Dr. Klaus Ries, Head of Styrenics Business Management Europe at BASF, commented: “High-performance insulation in building envelopes is essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving climate goals—and it is also a prerequisite for the efficient use of modern heating technologies. Our EPS insulation materials play a pivotal role here. Over their decades-long service life, they significantly reduce CO₂ emissions and energy consumption associated with building heating and cooling. This benefits not only the climate but also lowers energy costs. Graphite-containing Neopor®, with its outstanding insulation performance, ease of processing, cost-effectiveness, and recyclability, delivers precisely these advantages.

BASF shifts European polyisobutene production to renewable energy

2 hours ago

BASF plans to transition its eligible European polyisobutene portfolio to 100% renewable electricity by January 2027 using mass-balance approaches. Selected product grades will achieve zero cradle-to-gate carbon footprint without requiring requalification.

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BASF shifts European polyisobutene production to renewable energy

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