British Glass member and specialists in glass, Glass Technology Services Ltd, have demonstrated that reductions in CO2 emissions, combined with significant cost savings, may be possible for glass manufacturers through batch reformulation with their EnviroGlass project.
Carried out in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University, the project proposed that substantial savings may be possible and has successfully demonstrated proof of concept for the substitution of raw materials with waste streams from other sectors - reducing energy demands, emissions and waste, and contributing towards the circular economy.
In one amber glass example, these waste streams could replace raw materials at up to 8wt% while reducing furnace temperatures by up to 39°C. Further benefits included a reduction in NOX emissions, refractory wear, landfill and transportation as well as a faster melting rate due to the form of elements in the wastes studied.
For UK amber glass production this could equate to annual savings of over £500,000 in energy costs, combined with a 35 GWh/year reduction in energy demand and a 42kT/year reduction in CO2 emissions.
Across the wider float and container glass industry, potential benefits could amount to a reduction of more than 150,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions and £5 million in energy costs in the UK alone.
Glass Technology Services routinely work with manufacturers to troubleshoot and optimise batch and melting operations, but the EnviroGlass project set out specifically to investigate the challenges identified within the glass industry’s 2050 decarbonisation roadmap and identify cost-effective routes to achieving decarbonisation.
In partnership with Sheffield Hallam University (SHU), Glass Technology Services secured a grant of £156,645 for this work under the Energy Catalyst Initiative from Innovate UK - the UK government’s innovation agency. The British Glass Environmental Steering Group awarded a further £30k to support the project and to cover some of the additional costs incurred in carrying out the project.
For further details of this project, please visit www.glass-ts.com/projects/enviroglass-decarbonisation-and-batch-reformulation.
