Glass production without natural gas: using hydrogen as an energy source

The SCHOTT technology Group has achieved an important success: they have succeeded in producing a test melt with 100% hydrogen and thus completely without using natural gas. Specialty glass experts and local partners had already begin first industrial-scale tests in 2022. During these tests, 35% hydrogen was added to a melting tank that had previously been operated exclusively with natural gas. The results proved it is possible to move away from using fossil fuels, this was later proven in a 100% hydrogen trial.

Climate-neutral glass production using green hydrogen.

Heating glass melting tanks with hydrogen would require temperatures of up to 1700 degrees Celsius must be maintained permanently during the entire process, it is no easy task researching whether this is possible to be done consistently and if this would affect the quality of the glass. We all know that glass is used widely, ranging from being used in household appliances and electrical components all the way through to being used in astronomy and aviation. Using hydrogen as fuel would help to massively reduce the impact of CO2 emissions generated during the production of glass using fossil fuels. SCHOTT are therefore aiming to become climate neutral through production by 2030.

Challenges this innovation faces.

Green hydrogen, produced from renewable energies, is not yet available in sufficient quantities therefore making it difficult to roll out the use of hydrogen gas as a subsidy for fossil fuel. This is as a result of two key factors missing: there is no extensive infrastructure for (industrial) hydrogen supply and the expansion of renewable energies to produce green electricity.