Italian glass sector could be next for hydrogen

Italian energy company Snam said July 20 it was part of a working group looking at how hydrogen could cut emissions from the glass industry, among Italy’s largest business segments.

Italy is the second-largest glass producer in Europe, churning out some 5mn tonnes per year. The industry, however, is energy intensive and difficult to decarbonise.

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As such, Snam said it was part of a working group alongside glass producers looking at ways to cut emissions through the use of hydrogen. Its project targets the process of melting the glass, which accounts for more than 50% of the energy consumption in the industry.

“Hydrogen will play a fundamental role in the decarbonisation of energy-intensive sectors such as glass to achieve national and European climate objectives,” said Snam CEO Marco Alvera. “This project adds to what we already are doing in the steel, railway transport and ceramics sectors.”

Working group members pointed to success in the steel manufacturing process, where natural gas was utilised alongside a 30% mix of hydrogen. Steel manufacturing is among the most energy intensive and therefore more difficult to decarbonise industries.

For the glass industry, collaborators said they would evaluate various blends of hydrogen in glass-melting furnaces to monitor performance.

If a blend of 30% hydrogen proves successful, partners said the CO₂ abatement would be equivalent to pulling 100,000 vehicles off the road each year.

Elsewhere, the Italian daily newspaper Il Messaggero reported that Snam is expected to make an offer for 11 biogas plants from Italy’s Asja Ambiente group. Those plants produce renewable natural gas.