Decarbonising the glass industry with hydrogen technologies

H2GLASS is an EU-funded project.
It is committed to accelerating decarbonisation in the glass industry by developing and applying the technology stack needed to realise full H2 combustion in glass production facilities. The consortium is made up of six Industrial Demonstrators representing major players of the glass and aluminium industries, along with a group of highly qualified industrial and research institutions. Together, they will develop, test and validate the H2GLASS technologies and demonstrate their transferability to other hard to abate industries.

Why focus on decarbonising the glass industry?


Glass is in increasing demand. It is easy to recycle and plays a pivotal role in the world of sustainable materials. However, its energy-intensive production processes and significant carbon emissions pose challenges in achieving the EU’s ambitious target of net zero emissions by 2050. The lifetime of a glass furnace is around 12-15 years, which underlines the urgency for innovation, considering that 2050 is only two furnaces away.

Why use H2 technologies for decarbonising the glass industry?


Replacing fossil fuels with green hydrogen can substantially reduce CO2 emissions without increasing other harmful emissions such as NOx. In contrast to other alternative energy sources, H2 can increase the energy efficiency of air-fuel combustion and enable higher furnace throughput without negatively affecting the lifetime of a furnace. In addition, different H2 concentration mixtures can be used without affecting product quality, thus offering flexibility between natural gas and electricity.

Does H2 offer a safe alternative to fossil fuels?


Hydrogen is already widely used in various industrial applications and is considered a safe fuel source. But scaling up this utilisation and developing new technologies always comes with challenges. For H2GLASS, safety is a top priority and it will have a dedicated focus on safety and risk management. It includes the implementation of detailed safety protocols specifically designed for the secure handling and combustion of hydrogen aligned with the European Hydrogen Safety Panel.

Can H2GLASS solutions help decarbonise other energy-intensive industries?


H2GLASS aims to transfer the developed H2 technology to other major EU industries, as illustrated by the aluminium use-case. Both, the glass and the aluminium industry are energy-intensive sectors that play a crucial role in producing sustainable and recyclable products. They have similar furnaces, processes, and share common challenges regarding the integration of fossil fuel alternatives into the production process. One of the Industrial Demonstrators in H2GLASS is then from the aluminium sector.

Key Numbers

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Number of Partners

23

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Number of Countries

8

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Industrial Demonstrators

6

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Funding in Million Euro

23.3

Industrial Demonstrators & Partners

Zignago Vetro

Zignago Vetro is a glass production company specialized in glass containers for food, beverage, cosmetics and perfumery.

Steklarna Hrastnik

Steklarna Hrastnik is a glass producer with expertise in spirit bottles and high-quality clear glass, based in Slovenia.

Vetrobalsamo

Vetrobalsamo S.p.A. is a glass manufacturer specialized in the creation of customised bottle.

Owens Corning

Owens Corning develops and produces insulation, roofing, and fiberglass composites and related materials and products. It is the world's largest manufacturer of fiberglass composites.

Hydro Havrand

Hydro Havrand, part of the Hydro Group, oversees hydrogen production for the aluminium producer.

PTML Pilkington

Pilkington is a glass-manufacturing company which is based in Lathom, Lancashire, United Kingdom.

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SINTEF Energy Research

SINTEF Energy Research is an institute for applied research dedicated to creating innovative energy solutions.

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SINTEF Industry

SINTEF Industry performs contract research and delivers solutions and services that create value for customers.

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SINTEF MANUFACTURING

SINTEF Manufacturing is Norway's leading centre of expertise in manufacturing with the ambition to create sustainable and effective solutions for the Norwegian manufacturing industry.

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Norwegian University of Science and Technology

NTNU is an international oriented university with a main profile in science and technology with headquarters in Trondheim and campuses in Gjøvik and Ålesund.

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STARA GLASS

Stara Glass offers furnace and heat recovery systems design, services, engineering, equipment and materials for the glass industry.

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STAM

STAM is a multidisciplinary engineering firm which provides high-tech and turnkey solutions for Industry 4.0 & Robotics, Space & Defence, Security & Transport, Energy & Bio-circular economy.

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We Plus

We Plus Group is a company operating in the IT consultancy sector, with a strong focus on the integration and synergy between skills and systems.

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Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro

Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro (SSV) is an international research center and a specialized testing laboratory which provides technical and scientific support to the entire supply chain of glass.

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National Institute of Chemistry

National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia (NIC), is a leading Slovenian research institution in the field of chemistry and related disciplines.

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Fraunhofer Society

The Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU is a driver for innovations in the research and development of production engineering.

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Steinbeis Europa Zentrum

Steinbeis Europa Zentrum stands for over 30 years of experience in innovation consulting and research funding throughout Europe and beyond.

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Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya

CITCEA-UPC is a research and innovation center from the Technical University of Catalonia, based in Barcelona.

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European Aluminium

European Aluminium, based in Brussels, is a member-based industry association representing Europe’s most complete and thriving metals value chain.

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Sener

SENER is a private engineering and technology group specializing in activities related to Engineering and Construction.

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CIB UNIGAS

CIB Unigas is a family-owned Italian manufacturer of burners for all types of fuel for both civil and industrial use.

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University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham is a public research university in Nottingham, England.

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Aston University

Aston University is the UK's leading university for business and the professions based in the centre of Birmingham.

Latest News

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Introducing the consortium

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🎥 Introducing the Consortium: Unveiling the Pillars of Our Project! 🌐 We’re thrilled to unveil our latest video, shining a spotlight on the backbone of our project – The Consortiu […]

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Second annual consortium meeting in Avignon, France

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📅 6-7 February 2024 📍Avignon, France This week, the H2GLASS consortium met in the beautiful city of Avignon in France for its second annual meeting hosted at the fiber glass produ […]

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Save the Date: HARARE at TMS 2024

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Our sister-project on hydrogen use, HARARE, is organizing a short course on hydrogen, to be held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of The Minerals, Metals and Materials Socie […]

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H2Glass Partner Steklarna Hrastnik achieves breakthrough with hydrogen use in glass production

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Hrastnik, December 12, 2023 – Hrastnik1860, a member of the Vaider Group, has successfully conducted an industrial production of premium glass bottles using hydrogen energy source […]

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H2GLASS at 50th Topic-Oriented Technical Meeting of IFRF | 5. & 6. December 2023 in Piacenza, Italy

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On the 5. and 6. December, the International Flame Research Foundation – IFRF and its Italian Committee hosted the 50th Topic-Oriented Technical Meeting (TOTeM) in Piacenza, Italy […]

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We’re excited about the first publication in the framework of H2GLASS!

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We are excited to share the first publication in the framework of H2GLASS! Congratulations to Giulia Collina and the rest of the team for this interesting review addressing the sa […]

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Transforming energy-intensive industries together | H2GLASS at the General Assembly of HyInHeat

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This week, we had the opportunity to introduce our project at the General Assembly meeting of the HyInHeat project. The event was held in Donosti, San Sebastian. Just like us, HyI […]

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H2GLASS shines at Hazards Process Safety Conference (HAZARDS33) in Birmingham!

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Marta Bucelli and Giulia Collina represented the H2Glass project at the Hazards Process Safety Conference (HAZARDS33) in Birmingham, UK, organized by the Institution of Chemical E […]

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Four glass industry facilities to start full-scale hydrogen trials | H2Glass is featured in “Glass International” magazine

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We are happy to share that H2Glass is featured in the current edition of the “Glass International” magazine. The article presents the H2Glass project, its aims and the four glass […]

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H2GLASS Featured in Processes4Planet’s New Projects Booklet

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A.SPIRE, a driving force in fostering innovation and sustainability across European process industries, has proudly released its latest publication, “Innovation and Sustainability […]

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September Events with the H2GLASS partners

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The end of summer was a busy time for H2GLASS outreach activities. Communication partner Steinbeis Europa Zentrum was out and about to spread the word about H2GLASS objectives and […]

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H2GLASS partner Hydro Havrand produces first batch of aluminium with green hydrogen

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First batch of aluminium produced with green hydrogen by H2GLASS partner Hydro Havrand! Norsk Hydro, a key partner of H2GLASS, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in the alumi […]

Group photo from the Kick-Off meeting.

Welcome to H2GLASS: Kick-Off Meeting in Ljubljana

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H2GLASS project officially kicked-off! 📅24-26 January 2023 📍Ljubljana, Slovenia The H2GLASS project officially kicked-off from 24th to 26th January 2023 in Ljubljana, Slovenia! It […]