Byproducts from making ammonia, for example, are funnelled through the plant's 1,770 mile pipeline network from one end of the site to another, where they are recycled to produce fertiliser, disinfectant, diesel exhaust fluid, or carbon dioxide for fizzy drinks.
The so-called Verbund (composite) principle has been key to BASF's 157-year rise to its position as the world's largest chemical manufacturer. Now, as Vladimir Putin has severely restricted Russia's energy exports to Europe, that ingenious interconnectivity could be its undoing. The site, in south-west Germany, is highly reliant on gas both as a raw material and an energy source- and BASF played an active role in ensuring a high percentage of that gas was cheaply imported from Russia.
Should the German state be forced to ration gas for industrial use this winter, BASF says it can reduce its consumption to a degree.
This story is from the September 16, 2022 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the September 16, 2022 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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