BASF, Technische Universität Berlin set up renewables lab

In Germany, BASF and Technische Universität Berlin are putting substantial resources into setting up the UniCat-BASF Joint Lab. BASF plans to invest up to €6.4 million during the first five years. The total investment amounts to about €13 million. Installation of equipment for catalyst synthesis, characterization and testing starts in January 2012.

Dr. Friedrich Seitz , head of the BASF Competence Center Chemicals Research and Engineering, stated,  “Natural gas, carbon dioxide and biomass can replace petroleum as raw materials for the chemical industry in the future. Before that happens, a number of challenges remain to be solved.”