Where electrification is not possible, only hydrogen produced from renewable sources can really help accelerate the energy transition. Green hydrogen is a key ally in the decarbonisation of some sectors, including the chemical industry and other energy-intensive activities, such as steel and cement, aviation, shipping and glass industry. For this reason, and in the light of unsustainable gas price increases, a consortium of 23 partners from eight European countries has launched the Horizon Europe H2GLASS project, the main EU funding program for research and innovation.
Stages of the project
The four-year H2GLASS project has a €33 million budget and was awarded funding for €24 million at the end of July 2022. The grant agreement has already been signed, while the research activities will start at the beginning of 2023.
Objectives
H2GLASS aims to create the technology stack necessary for glass producers to implement hydrogen combustion in production plants, while ensuring:
- the required product quality,
- respect of emission limits,
- operation in safe conditions.
Entities involved
The H2GLASS Consortium will be able to count on the experience of qualified partners in the use of hydrogen in the glass sector, such as Steklarna Hrastnik, PTML Pilkington, Owens Corning and Stara Glass, as well as on the technical-scientific support of the Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro, an international research center, active in Murano since 1956.
This will be complemented by a group of industrial and research institutions (SINTEF Energy, SINTEF Industry, SINTEF Manufacturing, STAM, Steinbeis Innovation, We Plus, NTNU, The University of Nottingham, Kemijski Institut, Fraunhofer, Aston University, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro, SENER, CIB UNIGAS) and other glass manufacturers that want to stay at the forefront of sustainable technology such as Vetrobalsamo and Zignago Vetro.
Prospects
The innovation generated by H2GLASS can create 10,000 new jobs and unlock revenues of between 1 and 5 billion euros for the implementation of glass technology. It also has the potential to generate investments of upwards of € 17 billion and 200,000 new jobs for green hydrogen, all while reducing emissions by around 80%.
Source: glass-international.com
