Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII), a collaboration between industry, government, and academia, has welcomed Glass Futures as its latest partner. Glass Futures is a research and technology organization that focuses on reducing carbon emissions in energy-intensive industries such as glass and ceramics. Their expertise in this area will contribute significantly to the development of the hydrogen economy in the UK.
Dr Katy Milne, Programme Director for HII, expressed excitement about the addition of Glass Futures to the initiative. As a key member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Glass Futures has been involved with HII since its inception. Their focus on decarbonizing industries aligns with HII’s mission of utilizing UK technology to drive the global hydrogen economy and transform the country’s industry into a net-zero powerhouse.
Rob Ireson, Innovation and Partnerships Manager at Glass Futures, highlighted the opportunity for collaboration with other partners in the HII consortium. By sharing knowledge, research, and innovation across industries, Glass Futures aims to contribute to the development of sustainable hydrogen technology supply chains. The use of fossil fuels in ceramic kilns results in significant carbon emissions, with most emissions coming from the combustion of natural gas to heat kilns. Hydrogen has the potential to reduce UK emissions by up to 780 kt CO2 per year, particularly in energy-intensive industries like glass and ceramics. The glass and ceramic industries face similar challenges in transitioning from natural gas to low-carbon hydrogen fuels for furnaces and kilns. Collaborating with other sectors will help develop solutions to these challenges and support the decarbonisation of industries.
The partnership between Glass Futures and HII will enhance their combined expertise within the hydrogen technology sector while contributing towards building a competitive hydrogen economy in the UK.
In conclusion, Glass Futures joining forces with Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII) is an exciting step towards developing sustainable solutions for energy-intensive industries like glass and ceramics while reducing carbon emissions in these sectors by up to 780 kt CO2 per year using hydrogen fuel instead of fossil fuels.