Covestro and LANXESS team up to produce more sustainable raw materials with a lower CO2 footprint

Chemical companies Covestro and LANXESS are collaborating on the energy-intensive production of basic chemicals at their production site in Lower Rhine, Germany, to make their products more climate-friendly. LANXESS sources chlorine, caustic soda and hydrogen from Covestro's ISCC PLUS-certified production sites in Leverkusen and Krefeld-Uerdingen. From now on, Covestro will use hydroelectric energy with guaranteed origin for approximately one-third of the products supplied to LANXESS.

Covestro CTO Klaus Sch? Dr Ferrer said: "Covestro is seeking to be climate neutral in its operations by 2035 by using electricity exclusively from renewable sources in its production processes. A particular focus is on the energy-intensive production of basic raw materials. We have worked with Lang Sheng cooperation, the proportional use of energy in our electrolysis plant in North Rhine-Westphalia has enabled us to reduce our annual reported CO2 emissions by up to 120,000 tons."

"The joint project with Covestro is an important basis for our climate neutrality along the entire value chain. By purchasing raw materials for the production of our products with significantly lower carbon footprints, we are able to convert the reported indirect Emissions reductions of up to 120,000 metric tons of CO2e.” Through the Net Zero Value Chain Initiative, the specialty chemicals company plans to eliminate Scope 3 emissions in its upstream and downstream supply chains by 2050. This includes indirect emissions, especially from purchased raw materials, but also emissions from logistics or waste disposal. For scope 1 and 2 emissions, the company aims to be climate neutral by 2040. "With this project, we are taking a step further towards a climate-neutral product portfolio. At the same time, we are supporting our customers who are increasingly looking for sustainable solutions," said Feng Hubo.

Chlorine, caustic soda and hydrogen are the building blocks for many products in the chemical industry, but their production is energy-intensive. LANXESS uses raw materials supplied by companies such as Covestro to produce food and agricultural products, among other things.

Covestro produces these three basic raw materials at its production sites in North Rhine-Westphalia in Leverkusen, Krefeld-Uerdingen and Dormagen. The production of the strategic raw material chlorine at the production sites in Leverkusen and Krefeld-Uerdingen has already been certified to the internationally recognized ISCC PLUS standard, and Dormagen is also planning to achieve this certification in the near future. This certification ensures that electricity is correctly allocated to the product, while the certificate of origin verification by the Federal Environment Agency certifies the use of renewable energy sources.