The Italian glass industry is moving confidently towards the energy transition. To achieve the objective, innovation and technology are brought into play, a precious combination towards a sustainable and low energy-intensive industry, as demonstrated by the experience of the OI plant in Villotta di Chions, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, through the adoption of technology OxyFuel.
Oxy Fuel technology and circular reuse
The plant in the province of Pordenone has started a project for the use of Oxy Fuel technology, which uses oxygen-fuel burners to optimize the combustion capacity of the ovens.
This system has promoted a reduction in energy consumption of more than 38% and a reduction in emissions close to 80%.. This is an incredible advantage, considering the 1,1 billion cubic meters of gas consumed annually by the gas industry. glass, responsible for 2% of national consumption.
As anticipated, the use of oxygen in glass melting furnaces improves efficiency and reduces pollution resulting from industrial combustion processes. Furthermore, the circular reuse of heat coming from the fumes allowed the glass cullet to be preheated, recording significantly lower energy consumption in the melting phase.
Last but not least, the water used to absorb the waste heat from the equipment was also re-used to heat the workshop environments.
The decarbonisation of the sector
As stated by Marco Ravasi, President of Assovetro, Oxy Fuel technology represents one of the possible solutions for the glass sector, which currently has "a diversified portfolio of alternatives technological, such as: the direct use of electricity produced from renewables, green fuels such as hydrogen or biomethane, CO2 capture”.
The example of the Friulian factory confirms the intentions of a supply chain which over the last fifty years has spent heavily on the decarbonisation of its production system, through the reduction of energy consumption (-70%), the lightening of glassy products (-30 %) and the halving of carbon dioxide emissions.
To proceed on this green path, the glass sector must now be protected and favored by medium and long-term plans and policies, designed for the strategic development of energy infrastructures.
Sources: assovetro.it, renewable.it
