Conscious of the weight of the impact of the glassmaking industry on the environment, Bormioli Luigi is continuing to invest in its decarbonization. The Vitrum project, supported by the European Commission within the framework of its Innovation Fund, involves the installation of a hybrid furnace heralding an unprecedented reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. This innovation acts in favor of the group’s decarbonization roadmap, which involves a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030.
2024 will have been a productive year for Bormioli Luigi. The group is already a leader in electric fusion (representing 60% of production for its Beauty division) and is accelerating its initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint, thus anticipating regulatory changes. The Vitrum project is validated and co-funded by the European Commission within the framework of its Innovation Fund; it is the only Italian project to benefit from such support*.
INNOVATING FOR BEAUTY
This new hybrid furnace will be powered by a combination of methane and electricity. Its design and energy efficiency, associated with the use of PCR glass, promises a significant improvement in carbon emissions. The hybridization process alone generates savings of 80%. The use of recycled glass, associated with an optimized piping system, contribute the remainder. The new process allows for savings of approximately 30% in gas consumption and 14% in CO2 emissions compared with a traditional gas furnace.
Thanks to this innovation, Bormioli Luigi anticipates a reduction of the equivalent of 25,500 tons of CO2 during the furnace’s first 10 years in service.
This technological revolution also benefits from the digitalization of its control systems and process optimization assisted by artificial intelligence.
Located at the Abbiategrasso site, the furnace has just been put into operation ?
*Only 15% of factories producing glass packaging in Europe are fueled by electric fusion.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
