BASF’S new project organization ‘Net Zero Accelerator’ aims to accelerate its cross-company activities in the fields of low-CO2 technologies, circular economy and renewable energies in order to reduce its CO2 emissions by 25 % by 2030 and become climate neutral by 2050. The new unit will be led by Dr. Lars Kissau who will report directly to the CEO and make sure that the emission reduction projects are implemented over the next few years.

PROCESS Worldwide brings to you the ‘Top 10 plant engineering projects of December 2021’ from all over the world. Right from MOL Group and DCM Shriram digitalizing its plant operations to one of the world’s largest polymer production plants set for completion, find out all the projects making headlines here.

Nobian has become the first company in Germany to supply certified green hydrogen from chlor-alkali electrolysis. The produced green hydrogen complies with the leading TÜV Süd CMS 70 Standard and can produce up to 2,700 tons of green hydrogen annually at the firm’s Bitterfeld site in Germany.

Wood has secured an engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) services contract for expanding and improving Renewable Energy Group’s (REG) renewable diesel biorefinery in Geismar, Louisiana, USA. On completion, the project is expected to produce 340 million gallons of renewable diesel.

Chevron’s mammoth budget for next year includes spending 12.6 billion dollars in upstream operations including 6.4 billion dollars for its U.S. upstream operations and another 6.2 billion dollars for international operations. Another 2.3 billion dollars will be spent on its domestic and global downstream operations.

Under a MOU signed between McDermott and Shell, both the companies will jointly explore opportunities for reducing, and eliminating, emissions from construction via the use of low carbon fuels, renewable power, digital solutions and decarbonizing marine construction vessels.

The German chemical industry association 'Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.V.' (VCI) has reported that production in the German chemical pharmaceutical industry rose by 4.5 % compared to the previous year, and turnover increased by 15.5 % to approximately 247 billion dollars (220 billion euros) due to the significant increase in producer prices (+ 8.5 %). The VCI also predicts that production is expected to increase by 2 % and the turnover by 5 % to 260 billion dollars (231 billion euros) in 2022.

Under its updated ESG strategy for 2025, Sibur intends to make at least one of its facility carbon-neutral by 2025. It also plans to facilitate recycling of at least 100 kt of polymer waste every year as part of its own investment projects and joint projects with partners.

Plug Power has been chosen by Fertiglobe’s green hydrogen consortium to deliver a world-scale 100 MW electrolyzer in Egypt. Claimed to become one of the largest ‘independently owned’ facility in the world, the electrolyzer will produce up to 90,000 tons of green hydrogen as feedstock for green ammonia production at EBIC in Egypt.

Tatneft will make use of Versalis’ technologies to develop new rubber plants at its Togliatti industrial site in Russia. On completion, the plants are expected to produce 70 thousand tons of nitrile butadiene rubber and 30 thousand tons of carboxylate styrene butadiene rubber latexes.