BASF said it has successfully started up the steam cracker at its newly built Verbund site in Zhanjiang, China. The cracker, with a capacity of 1 mta of ethylene, will supply basic chemicals to several plants on site. It is also the first cracker in the world using 100% renewable energy. Commissioning of the steam cracker follows the recent start-up of multiple propylene downstream plants. BASF has safely brought into operation the plants for ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol, as well as polyethylene. As the heart of the Verbund, the steam cracker supplies important basic chemicals such as ethylene and propylene to multiple plants on site. It is the starting point for many chemical value chains: long chain hydrocarbons such as naphtha or butane are cracked with the help of steam.