BASF Advances Industrial Decarbonization with Key Delivery for Large Scale Heat Pump Project in Ludwigshafen

The plate-fall-film evaporator was transported via the BASF site in Ludwigshafen using heavy-haul transport.
Photo: BASF

(IN BRIEF) BASF has successfully delivered and installed a major component for its industrial heat pump project at its Ludwigshafen site, marking a key milestone in the development of one of the world’s most powerful systems for emission-free steam generation. The heat pump will use renewable electricity and recovered waste heat to produce up to 500,000 tons of carbon-free steam annually, significantly reducing emissions in formic acid production. Supported by government funding, the project highlights BASF’s commitment to decarbonizing industrial operations and advancing sustainable energy solutions, with commissioning planned for 2027.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUDWIGSHAFEN, 8-Apr-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — BASF has reached a major milestone in the construction of one of the world’s most powerful industrial heat pumps at its Ludwigshafen site, following the successful delivery of a key component weighing 95 tons and measuring approximately 16 meters in length.

At the heat pump construction site, the core component is being hoisted into its designated position.
Photo: BASF

The component, a plate falling-film evaporator, was transported over several hundred kilometers via inland waterways from Schwedt on the Oder River to the company’s main site. From the port, it was moved by heavy-haul truck across the facility to the construction site at the steam cracker, where installation is now underway.

This evaporator is a central element of the new heat pump system, which is designed to generate oxygen-free steam suitable for industrial processes. The steam produced will be integrated into BASF’s Verbund network, supplying energy to production plants across the site.

The heat pump project, currently under construction, is expected to become one of the most powerful systems of its kind globally for emission-free steam generation. The evaporator was developed by GIG Karasek, which is also leading the construction of the heat pump. Together with BASF, the system components have been specifically adapted to meet the technical requirements of the Ludwigshafen facility.

Construction progress is well advanced, with the plant hall and associated infrastructure, including the switchgear building, already completed. Most of the piping connecting the system to the steam cracker has also been installed.

A heavyweight: Two cranes lift the nearly 100-ton falling-film evaporator into the air.
Photo: BASF

Once operational, the heat pump will use renewable electricity to generate up to 500,000 tons of carbon-free steam annually, delivering a thermal output of around 50 megawatts. This steam will primarily support the production of formic acid and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the process by up to 98 percent, equivalent to approximately 100,000 metric tons of CO₂ per year. The system will utilize waste heat recovered from cooling processes within one of the site’s steam crackers.

The project is scheduled for commissioning in mid-2027 and is supported by funding of up to €310 million from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy under the Carbon Contracts for Difference program.

Through this initiative, BASF is advancing the decarbonization of industrial processes and demonstrating the potential of large-scale heat pump technology in reducing emissions within the chemical industry.

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 108,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €60 billion in 2025. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.

Media Contact:

Florian Fabian
Standortpresse Ludwigshafen
Energie und Klima am Standort Ludwigshafen, Infrastruktur, Technik
+49 172 7519934
florian.fabian@basf.com

SOURCE: BASF