Page 48 - Glass Machinery Plants & Accessories no. 3-2021

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES
Alternative energy technologies
sectors, further addressing existing sector has indeed made progress Switching Competition Phase 2 -
social challenges. Innovations with- by halving emissions over the past all to conduct its ‘Alternative Fuel
in the glass industry can potentially 50 years, the need remains to Switching Technologies for the
benefit everyone through enhanced urgently accelerate existing efforts Glass Sector’ industrial demon-
energy efficiency in construction, to increase energy efficiency while stration. This ran from January
improved ways of generating green reducing CO2 emissions – all to 2020 to March 2022, yielding a
energy, as well as by demonstrat- meet the UK’s 2050 carbon com- significant amount of data and
ing the circular economy in action mitments. Given that many fur- feedback, for which a final report
with the use of recycled materials naces due for installation over the is due to be published in June
and -across many sectors- devel- coming years will be expected to 2022, following on from an initial
oping novel applications that ben- run for up to 20 years, it follows report in November 2019.
efit medicine, agriculture, transport that new low carbon fuel technolo- With further investments, pro-
and advanced manufacturing. At gies will need to prove themselves ject funding now totals GBP 54M,
its core, the glass manufacturing both technically and economically which includes a GBP 15M UKRI
industry produces around three feasible within the next 10 years grant, secured to support the instal-
million tonnes (Mt) of glass per if the glass sector is to fully decar- lation of the globally unique, experi-
annum and generates more than bonise by 2050. mental furnace and state-of-the-art
two million tonnes of CO2. Of To address this need, Glass infrastructure capable of melting 30
these emissions, 58 percent comes Futures Ltd has successful- tonnes of glass per day - all within a
directly from fuel combustion and ly applied for, and secured, a safe experimental space. St Helens
24 percent from primary, on-site GBP 7.1 million grant under Borough Council, too, committed
electricity generation, with 18 per- BEIS Industrial Fuel Switching funds for pre-planning and planning
cent released from the decomposi- Competition Phase 3 following costs, and the ‘Build Back Better’
tion of carbonate raw materials on from its GBP 300 thousand fund of Combined Authorities of
(British Glass 2014). Whilst the grant under BEIS Industrial Fuel the Liverpool City Region has pro-
vided a GBP 10M grant to support
construction. Network Space has
secured private sector investment
and glass sector companies are con-
tributing a further GBP 20M in
resources, time and equipment to
support the project.

THE OPTIONS CURRENTLY
ON THE TABLE
In observing the plausibility
that more than one solution is
required, the report identifies
significant infrastructural differ-
ences across the UK glass sec-
tor - all variously associated with
furnace design, age and applica-
tion typology among the fac-
tors influencing whichever route
of decarbonisation proves most
suitable at any given site. Here
uncertainty over the availability
and economics of fuels across
the UK is also underscored as a
variable factor, depending upon
the region under examination. It
follows, then, that no single fuel
scenario is likely to comprehen-
sively address the decarbonisation
needs of the entire UK glass sec-
Overview of glass process and original of CO2 emissions tor. Consequently, and to max-
(British Glass, 2014)

46 GMP&A 3/2022