BASF, Sabic, and Linde have started-up the world’s first large-scale electrically heated steam cracking furnace at BASF’s Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The project makes use of electricity from renewable sources and has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 90 % compared to the technologies commonly used today in the chemical industry.

With this acquisition, Repsol has plans to enter the biomethane market. The agreement between Repsol and Genia Bioenergy includes 19 of its biomethane plants which are under development, with a total capacity of 1.5TWh per year, which will generate renewable gas from agricultural and livestock waste in Spain and Portugal.

MHI-LCSC, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kiewit have been awarded a Feed contract for the carbon capture technology at Heidelberg Materials North America’s Edmonton CCUS project.

A joint study will be carried out between Lummus Technology and Braskem to demonstrate Lummus’ SRT-e electric cracking heater. With this, both the parties aim to decarbonize one of Braskem’s sites in Brazil.

OQ Chemicals has reached a key milestone in its ‘Propel’ project with the mechanical completion of its infrastructure. The project will support the operation of Röhm’s new world-scale Methyl Methacrylate plant in Bay City site, USA.

With an aim to manufacture advanced and energy efficient Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cells for clean hydrogen production, Topsoe will be setting up a factory in Virginia, USA. The move follows the company receiving nearly 136 million dollars in federal Section 48C tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act.

Arkema has entered into an agreement to acquire a 78 % stake in Proionic, a well-known start-up which produces and develops ionic liquids. These are key components used for developing the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.

Solvay has inaugurated a new blowing agent production unit in Rosignano, Italy. This project is expected to revolutionize the plastic foaming industry.

BASF has commenced operations of its prototype metal refinery for battery recycling in Schwarzheide, Germany. The plant aims to optimize innovative battery recycling technology as well as optimize the processing of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and battery production scrap.

Linde under its subsidiary White Martins has plans to build, own and operate a second electrolyzer to produce green hydrogen in Brazil. On completion, the plant is expected to supply green hydrogen to glass manufacturer Cebrace to reduce emissions from their glass melting furnaces.