Chemical industry at a turning point: six keys to transformation
New study compares German roadmaps with international strategies
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The German chemical industry is facing major challenges: It must achieve climate neutrality while remaining competitive. With this in mind, VDI Research, together with the VDI-GVC, evaluated international roadmaps and strategy papers in the study "Global Technology Forecasts for the Chemical Industry 2030+" and compared them with German studies. This resulted in six key recommendations for action for politics and industry: competitive energy, real climate benefits instead of carbon leakage, more speed in key technologies, less bureaucracy, robust security of supply - and the courage to share risks and consistently implement decisions.
The analysis and comparison of Germany with Europe, North America and Asia show that Worldwide, transformation paths are focused on carbon management, defossilization, the circular economy, digitalization and the targeted use of hydrogen and CCUS. At the same time, geopolitical developments, high energy prices in Europe and overcapacities in China are intensifying the competitive pressure on Germany as a location. German studies such as "Roadmap Chemistry 2050", "Chemistry4Climate" and the VDI meta-study "Germany 2050" take up these international guidelines, but supplement them with detailed energy and industrial economic scenarios, electricity demand and CO₂ price assumptions as well as carbon leakage issues.
"The technological roadmaps are on the table - but the rules of the game have changed fundamentally. Germany is no longer facing an abstract transformation task, but is in the midst of an industrial test," emphasizes Anette Braun, author of VDI Research.
"It is now crucial to turn the ecological transformation into an economic success story. Without competitive energy prices, reliable framework conditions and quick decisions, there will be no climate-neutral chemistry "Made in Germany"," emphasizes Vivien Manning, Managing Director of the VDI Society for Process Engineering and Chemical Engineering (VDI-GVC). The transformation of the chemical industry therefore requires clear priorities in terms of efficiency and affordability.
According to the authors, the time for taking one step at a time is over: If Germany wants to keep its chemical industry in global competition, the sustainable transformation must be designed to be both ecologically effective and economically viable - with competitive energy prices, accelerated approvals and clear priorities based on efficiency and affordability.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
Original publication
Braun, A.; Dahlhaus, J.; Sauer J.; Zweck, A. (2026) „Globale Technologieprognosen für die Chemieindustrie 2030+ – Einsichten für die industrielle Transformation in Deutschland“. VDI Research-Paper 29, VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH Düsseldorf.
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