From early 2024 onward, BASF will offer its products 1,4-butanediol (BDO) and polytetrahydrofuran (PolyTHF^®) as “LowPCF” products. BASF has calculated the individual product carbon footprints (PCF) of both chemical products. The results were compared with assessments of market-wide average carbon footprints of the corresponding products of third parties. The analysis shows that due to BASF’s production setup, the PCFs of BDO and derivatives such as PolyTHF are significantly below the global average PCF of the corresponding third-party chemicals that are all produced from fossil-based raw materials.

On its journey to achieve net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050, BASF is the first large chemical company to make available to its customers the individual PCFs of all its sales products. The PCF comprises the total greenhouse gas emissions that occur until the product leaves BASF’s factory gate for the customer: from the extraction of resources through manufacturing of precursors to the making of the final chemical product itself.

Various factors contributing to a low product carbon footprint

The PCF is determined by various factors. For example, energy generation in BASF’s own gas-fired combined heat and power plants generates significantly less greenhouse gas emissions compared to other conventional energy generation methods. In addition, production processes of LowPCF intermediates are characterized by high production efficiency in terms of energy and raw material consumption due to BASF’s integrated Verbund system and continuous efforts in operational excellence. Finally, LowPCF intermediates generally use oil, natural gas or Verbund by-products, but not coal, as primary raw materials. Due to its chemical properties, the use of coal generally results in a higher carbon footprint of downstream products compared to those based on natural gas or oil.

“Company CO₂ emission reduction targets are playing an increasingly important role in the value chains we serve. With our LowPCF intermediates, we are supporting our customers in achieving their targets: They now have the option to consciously choose a product with a carbon footprint significantly below the global market average,” said Ketan Joshi, head of BASF’s Intermediates operating division. “By making CO₂ emission data at the individual product level available to our customers, we also offer a level of transparency that is unique in the chemical industry.”

BDO and PolyTHF: Essential raw materials in many value chains

BDO is mainly used for the production of PolyTHF. BASF’s customers use PolyTHF for example to produce elastic spandex and elastane fibers that are used for a wide range of textiles such as swimsuits, sportswear and underwear, but also outerwear such as shirts and stretch jeans. The elastic fibers ensure wearing comfort in the long run, they are resistant to moisture and microbes. PolyTHF also serves as a chemical building block for the production of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), which BASF customers use to make highly abrasion-resistant and elastic hoses, films and cable sheathing, primarily for the automotive industry. Other applications include thermoplastic polyetheresters, polyetheramides and cast elastomers for the manufacture of wheels, for example for skateboards and inline skates. With a total of five production plants for PolyTHF in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, BASF is one of the world’s most important suppliers of this versatile intermediate.

BDO is also a starting material for polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), an engineering plastic that is used successfully (under the BASF trade name Ultradur^®) in the automotive, electrical and electronics industries. BDO also serves as an intermediate for the production of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), whose main applications are as essential solvents in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and for lithium-ion battery cathodes e.g., for electrical vehicles.