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Sustainability

Our solutions: Products for climate protection

BASF products are involved in a large number of climate protection technologies. They enable energy efficiency and climate protection in a variety of sectors, such as building and living, mobility, energy and agriculture.

Examples of our products for climate protection:

Building and Living


By 2050, nine billion people will live on our planet, three-quarters of them in cities. Growing urbanization will require new concepts in housing and construction. Sustainability is an essential factor for our future. What does our path look like? How can we tackle the new challenges together?

Photo: Materials for house building
Neopor® – energy-efficient facade insulation

Styropor® was invented by BASF scientist Dr. Fritz Stasny, who discovered it in 1949 when researching effective materials for cable insulation.
Continuous research led to the patenting of Neopor® in 1997, taking this classic a step further. The novel feature of Neopor® is the addition of black graphite particles which improve the insulation performance by up to 20 percent.

Insulating an old building so that the heating energy requirement of 21 liters of fuel oil per square meter per year drops to 7 liters means that less insulation material is needed than when using conventional Styropor®.

  1. Learn more
Multiple green rectangular boards stack together
Styrodur® – energy-efficient allrounder insulation board

It was in 1964 that BASF began producing this green insulation board. Nowadays, Styrodur® is a synonym for XPS in whole Europe and stands for diverse applications, robustness and highest compressive strength.

In 2015 the new generation was born: Thermally welded Styrodur® with one single Lambda value over the whole thickness range.

  1. More about Styrodur®
  2. Learn more about the guidelines of ICCA
An analysis shows that the volumes of Styropor®, Neopor® and Styrodur® sold in 2019 help our customers to save 62 million metric tons of CO2 emissions over the entire lifecycles of these products when used to insulate existing buildings. This calculation is based on a lifecycle analysis that takes into account the production and disposal of the insulation materials and compares the energy consumption of a renovated building with that of an unrenovated building over a period of 50 years. The calculation of avoided greenhouse gas emissions took into account the chemical industry standards of the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Develeopment (WBCSD). 
Dowload Case Study
BASF also offers biomass balance (BMB) versions of Styropor®, Neopor® and Styrodur®. In accordance with an externally certified mass balancing method, 100% of the fossil raw materials used in the production of these BMB products are replaced by renewable raw materials such as bio-naphtha or biogas. This saves carbon emissions and fossil resources during the manufacturing process. Together with the German EPS insulation manufacturer Bachl, we calculated in a lifecycle analysis that the use of renewable raw materials reduces carbon emissions from the production of Neopor® BMB by 66% compared with conventionally produced Neopor® products (based on one cubic meter of insulation board).
  1. Case study (2017): Calculating avoided emissions for an External Thermal Insulation Composite System
Photo: Resistant foam
Polyurethanes – energy-efficient all-rounders 

Their outstanding insulation properties mean that polyurethane (PU) rigid foam systems are used in a number of cold and heat insulation applications. In addition to energy and cost savings, PU rigid foam offers architects freedom of design and additional living space due to slimmer construction options and as a result is used in house-building in a number of roof, wall and floor applications. Elastopor® and Elastopir® rigid foams are also used as the core material in sandwich panels, for example as facade and roof elements in cold stores and storage facilities. PU rigid foam is also a preferred option in refrigerators and freezers and for insulating hot water tanks, as well as insulation for district heating pipes.

Reduce your GWP (Global Warming Potential) with our new generation of polyurethane spray foam insulations such as Elastospray® LWP and Skytite® LWP that are free of ingredients that contribute to global warming or that deplete the ozone layer.

  1. More about our high performance plastics
Polyurethanes – Elastocool® F
Elastocool® F is a rigid PU foam for insulation of refrigerators. It is 10-20% faster in demolding compared to the previous generation, therefore, energy consumption per unit/fridge is less. 1-2% lower material consumption leads to better resource efficiency. Improved thermal conductivity (1-3%) makes it more energy efficient, which results in less energy consumption of fridges and freezers. 
  1. Read more about Elastocool® F
Polyurethanes – Haptex®

Haptex® is a non-solvent, organotin free PU solution which is used to produce the middle layer of synthetic leather. It is more sustainable, more scalable and superior on performance than other alternatives. According to the Life Cycle Analysis for Haptex leather, figures clearly demonstrate Haptex’s superior performance in sustainability as it is not only DMF free, but also it reduces carbon footprint, energy and water consumption.
  1. More about Haptex®

Mobility


Reducing CO2 emissions, meeting recycling targets and improving air quality are industry challenges we all are facing. Limited availability of fossil fuels and climate change call for more efficient cars and lower emissions. “We create chemistry for a sustainable future” – according to this purpose we develop chemistry that drives us from A to B with a cleaner footprint. 

Lufthansa technician applies sharkskin film
Innovation in surface technology reduces emissions in cargo air traffic

In a joint project, Lufthansa Technik and BASF have developed a surface film that mimics the properties of sharkskin and therefore optimizes the aerodynamics on flow-related parts of the aircraft. The lower the frictional resistance of an aircraft in the air, the lower the fuel consumption. From the beginning of 2022, BASF’s Novaflex Sharkskin technology is to be used on Lufthansa Cargo's entire freighter fleet, making the aircraft even more economical and reducing emissions.

For use on Lufthansa Cargo's ten Boeing 777F freighter aircraft, Lufthansa Technik expects a friction reduction of more than one percent. For the entire fleet of ten aircraft, this translates to annual savings of around 3,700 tons of kerosene and just under 11,700 tons of CO2 emissions, which is the equivalent of 48 individual freight flights from Frankfurt to Shanghai.

BASF also wants to help customers achieve their sustainability goals with functional surface films beyond aviation, for example in the wind power industry.

  1. Read more about the joint project of Lufthansa Group and BASF
Close up shot of a white car exhaust
High-performance additives relieve the burden on climate
 

BASF's Keropur® fuel additives are mixed in small quantities with the fuel and produce better combustion in the engine. As a result, fuel consumption is reduced and premature wear on the engine is prevented, which in turn reduces the output of pollutants and greenhouse gases.

A test BASF performed jointly with a leading petroleum company on a fleet of vehicles over 64,000 kilometers showed that a premium additive package reduced pollutant emissions by 20% and improved average fuel economy by upto 2%. An eco-efficiency analysis comparing fuel with and without additive clearly showed that Keropur® fuel additives contribute significantly to climate and environmental protection.

  1. More information about Keropur® fuel additives
Lightweight plastics in automotive - Cellasto® 
 
 
NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) improvement in almost all industries including automotive, elevators and home appliance. Resources are saved as the lifespan of vehicles, appliances, equipment, machines or devices is extended thanks to its superior vibration/shock absorbing capabilities and technical durability. Vehicles’ energy consumption is reduced thanks to its lightweight and high compressibility.
  1. More about Cellasto®
Lightweight plastics in automotive – Ultramid®  B3ZG7 CR
Suitable for crash safety components. Crash Resistant Ultramid increased safety performance by 2 times while reducing mass 30% and cost 15% over previously used steel. Toyota needed to reduce mass for fuel efficiency in their all new 2021 Sienna that is only available in a hybrid. This Ultramid material is compliant with strict vehicle interior VOC specifications.
  1. More information about Ultramid®
Lightweight plastics in automotive – Elastoflex® E
It is applicated in instrument panels, headliners. With fogging values below 0.5 mg according to DIN 75201, emissions in the passenger compartment are very low. A portfolio of bio-based Elastoflex® E systems with the use of castor oil is available. Overall weight reduction through low foam density.
  1. Read more about Elastoflex®
CEE plug made of Ultradur
Lightweight plastics in automotive – Ultradur® High Speed
It is applicated in housings, consoles, plug-in connectors, contact carriers and covers. The good flowability of this new material not only makes the production of injection-moulded plastic components cheaper but also helps to save energy, thus protecting the environment. Using the eco efficiency analysis alternative products are challenged concerning their life cycle. Savings of energy, material and cost by processing Ultradur® High Speed are identified individually.
  1. More information about Ultradur® High Speed

Agriculture


With our connected offer of products, technologies and services, we want to transform agriculture for the better by making a positive impact on the agricultural food system and ultimately on society. We believe that digitalization is at the core of this transformation and has the power to impact billions of people. 

Photo: Growing plants
The use of fertilizers releases large quantities of nitrous oxide through the decomposition of nitrogen compounds in the soil. BASF’s nitrification inhibitor ensures that the ammonium contained in fertilizers is metabolized more slowly by bacteria in the soil, thus resulting in a reduction in nitrous oxide. The fertilizer can supply crops with nutrients more efficiently, and the crop requires fertilization much less frequently. This decreases greenhouse gas emissions. The impact on groundwater is reduced by the nitrification inhibitor as well.
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Energy


BASF supports the deployment of wind power as a climate-friendly source of energy. BASF’s innovative solutions are a contributory factor in the more efficient manufacturing and maintenance of rotor blades, bases, towers and gears for wind turbine systems.

The concept of saving energy from renewable sources. 3d illustration of a modern battery system with a background of solar wind power plants in a warm evening light.
High-energy, Long-duration Stationary Energy Storage
NAS® batteries are designed for stationary energy storage and boast an array of superior features, such as large capacity, long duration, long life, enhanced safety and environmental benignity. They ensure a reliable power supply at all times. The applications for the batteries range from renewable enhancement and upgrade deferral to microgrid solutions.
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