The German companies that drive Europe’s biggest economy are contemplating painful cuts to their output and resorting to polluting forms of energy previously considered unthinkable as they adjust to the prospect of running out of Russian gas. Reduced Russian deliveries have accelerated efforts across German industry to find alternatives to keep factories running and limit the economic cost. Chemical giant BASF (BASFn.DE) is working out which factories could cut output first and rival Lanxess (LXSG.DE) may delay shutting some coal-fired power plants. As Gazprom (GAZP.MM) cut flows via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline from Russia to Germany by 60% last week, supplier to Proctor & Gamble (PG.N) Kelheim Fibre weighed a decision to spend millions on retrofitting its gas power plant to run on oil. The 86-year old Bavarian-based supplier of viscose fibres used in hygiene products and filtration has asked the state to […]