Industrial energy use and decarbonisation in the glass sector: A UK perspective

Griffin, Paul W.; Hammond, Geoffrey P.; McKenna, Russell

doi:10.1016/j.adapen.2021.100037

Cited by 32 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The glass industry in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (UK) accounted for 0.5% of total UK energy consumption and 0.4-0.6% of total UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2019 (Griffin et al 2021;Ireson et al 2019;WSP Parson Brinkerhoff and GL 2015). It is thus classified as one of the energy-intensive subsectors within the UK industry sector alongside iron and steel (3.6% of total annual GHGs), chemicals (2.7%), cement (1.1%) and aluminium (0.6%) (Centre for Low Carbon Futures 2011; Griffin et al 2016).…”

Section: Glass Sectormentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping the flat glass value-chain: a material flow analysis and energy balance of UK production

Hartwell

Coult²,

Overend

2022

Glass Struct Eng

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Glass is one of the UK’s eight energy-intensive industries. As such, it is under scrutiny to decouple growth in production from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Recycled glass, also known as cullet, requires less energy to melt than primary raw materials in new glass production. The use of cullet thus reduces the energy intensity per unit of output whilst also reducing demand for primary material resources. However, efficient systems for flat glass collection are yet to be established in the UK, resulting in a limited supply of cullet available for the flat glass market and missed environmental opportunities. This study identifies the existing supply-chain inefficiencies in the UK glass industry in three stages. Firstly, the mass flows of materials within the three main glass sectors: container glass, flat glass and glass wool, are mapped from natural resource through to primary application and subsequent end-of-life management based on a reference year of annual production figures. The map is presented in the form of a “Sankey” diagram which draws attention to several opportunities for increasing resource efficiency; namely in the stark contrast in glass collection rates between the flat and container glass industry. Using the data collected on the annual mass flows of materials in the UK flat glass sub-sector, the energy (MJ) and GHG emission (CO2-eq) saving potential of enhanced end-of-life collection methods are assessed, based on three alternative recovery scenarios. These scenarios consider the use of alternative distributions of recovered flat glass cullet in the three primary glass sub-sectors. The emission savings resulting from each recovery scenario are evaluated, based on the estimated tonnage yield of finished flat glass products. It is shown that together with improved manufacturing yield, the reutilization of end-of-life flat glass as cullet in new production could reduce the annual emissions of the UK flat glass value-chain by up to 18.6%. Finally we review the existing barriers to recycling different glass types based on acceptability criteria and available take-back infrastructure, and thus find that the advancement of improved recycling rates will rely on establishing the business opportunity and/or supporting policy for developing efficient systems for flat glass collection.

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Section: Glass Sectormentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping the flat glass value-chain: a material flow analysis and energy balance of UK production

Hartwell

Coult²,

Overend

2022

Glass Struct Eng

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“…(WSP Parson Brinkerhoff and GL, 2015), (Griffin et al, 2021), and (British Glass, 2021) -the main representative body for the UK glass industry -have published industry roadmaps for the glass sector to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in response to the UK's commitment to Net Zero (HM Government, 2021). The key strategies to reduce the emissions associated with glass production by 2050 proposed within these studies include: alternative raw material input to reduce process emissions through increased use of cullet, the use of pre-calcined raw materials and/or alternative raw materials; the use of alternative fuel sources to reduce combustion emissions such as oxyfuel combustion, liquid biofuels, all-electric melting, hybrid furnaces and/or hydrogen and; remediation options such as carbon capture utilization and/or storage (CCU/CCS) -see appendix A1 (British Glass, 2021).…”

Section: Efforts To Decarbonize the Uk Glass Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Arguably, the process could become more inefficient as a consequence of heating the materials twice. Emission remediation options, such as CCU/CCS technologies, are at early stages of development and have yet to be proven for use on glass furnaces (Anderson and Peters, 2016;Butnar et al, 2020;Griffin et al, 2021;The Royal Society, 2021). Relying on CCU/CCS or the use of calcined raw materials to reduce process emissions is thus likely to fall short in achieving the desired outcome of reducing global GHG emissions in the medium-term.…”

Section: Efforts To Decarbonize the Uk Glass Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Existing studies have reviewed the energy consumption and decarbonisation options available through furnace type and alternative fuel sources, including: oxy-fuel melting, biofuels, hydrogen, all electric-melting, and hybrid furnaces (Griffin et al, 2021;Ireson et al, 2019;Maria et al, 2013;Zier et al, 2021). Furnace type, age, capacity and throughput have been found to significantly affect the energy efficiency of the glass furnace (Glass Technology Services Ltd, 2004;Maria et al, 2013;Zier et al, 2021).…”

Section: Alternative Routes To Minimise Energy Inputmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The glass industry in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (UK) accounted for 0.5% of total UK energy consumption and 0.4 -0.6% of total UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2019 (Griffin et al, 2021;Ireson et al, 2019;WSP Parson Brinkerhoff and GL, 2015). It is thus classified as one of the energy-intensive subsectors within the UK industry sector alongside iron and steel (3.6% of total annual GHGs), chemicals (2.7%), cement (1.1%) and aluminium (0.6%) (Centre for Low Carbon Futures, 2011; Griffin et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introduction 1glass Sectormentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mapping the flat glass value-chain: A material flow analysis and energy balance of UK production

Hartwell

Coult²,

Overend

2022

Preprint

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Glass is one of the UK’s eight energy-intensive industries. As such, it is under scrutiny to decouple growth in production from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The energy input associated with glass production can be reduced by using recycled glass (cullet) in new glass production, which enables lower furnace operating temperatures and reduces demand for primary raw materials. However, efficient systems for flat glass collection are yet to be established in the UK, resulting in a limited supply of cullet available for the flat glass markets and missed environmental opportunities. This study identifies the existing supply-chain inefficiencies of the UK glass industry in three stages. Firstly, the mass flows of materials within the three main glass sectors: container glass, flat glass and glass wool, are mapped from natural resource through to primary application and subsequent endof-life management based on a reference year of annual production figures. The map is presented in the form of a Sankey diagram which draws attention to several opportunities for increasing resource efficiency; namely in the stark contrast in glass collection rates between the flat and container glass industry. Using the collected data on the annual mass flows of materials in the UK flat glass sub-sector, the energy (MJ) and GHG emission (CO2-eq) saving potential of enhanced end-of-life collection methods are assessed, based on three alternative recovery scenarios. These scenarios consider the use of alternative distributions of recovered flat glass cullet in the three primary glass sub-sectors. The emission savings resulting from each recovery scenario is evaluated, based on the estimated tonnage yield of finished flat glass products. It is shown that together with improved manufacturing yield, the reutilization of end-of-life flat glass as cullet in new production could reduce the annual emissions of the UK flat glass value-chain by up to 18%. Finally we review the existing barriers to recycling different glass types based on acceptability criteria and available take-back infrastructure, and thus find that the advancement of improved recycling rates will rely on establishment of the business opportunity and/or supporting policy for efficient systems of flat glass collection.

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Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Chinese Cities’ Air Quality and the Impact of High-Speed Rail to Promote Carbon Neutrality

Liu

Shang

et al. 2023

Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics

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Industrial energy use and decarbonisation in the glass sector: A UK perspective

Cited by 32 publications

References 18 publications

Mapping the flat glass value-chain: a material flow analysis and energy balance of UK production

Mapping the flat glass value-chain: a material flow analysis and energy balance of UK production

Mapping the flat glass value-chain: A material flow analysis and energy balance of UK production

Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Chinese Cities’ Air Quality and the Impact of High-Speed Rail to Promote Carbon Neutrality

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