Hy4Chem: Decarbonization of the chemical industry
The Hy4Chem project is a major initiative by BASF and Siemens Energy to promote the hydrogen economy and decarbonize chemical production. To this end, BASF commissioned a 54-megawatt proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) electrolyzer at its Ludwigshafen site in March 2025, which is directly integrated into production and infrastructure. The electrolyzer has an annual production capacity of up to 8,000 metric tons of hydrogen. The electricity required comes from renewable energy sources.
The green hydrogen produced will primarily be used as a raw material in BASF’s production processes, replacing hydrogen produced from fossil fuels. According to BASF, the plant has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the site by up to 72,000 metric tons per year. In this way, the project supports the manufacture of chemical products with a lower carbon footprint.
In addition, BASF plans to supply a portion of the hydrogen for mobility applications in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. The Hy4Chem project thus demonstrates how hydrogen produced from renewable electricity can be integrated into existing industrial production structures.