Published 29th June, 2022 by Greg Morris

French borosilicate glass manufacturer La Maison Française du Verre has completed its injection tests of up to 20% (in power) of hydrogen mixed in natural gas at its Châteauroux site.

The company were able to validate this approach to decarbonisation at a true glass melting scale with a full load.

The Châteauroux internal teams and partners SEFPRO, Air Liquide, GRTgaz, Federation Cristal Verre, Federation Verre, with ADEME funding as part of the “France relance” project.

A team from Saint-Gobain Research Provence was also on site to study the feasibility of replacing a part of the natural gas used in the melting furnace with hydrogen and its impact on refractory blocks, combustion and the quality of glass.

The first results are very encouraging and fully in line with SEFPRO support for the transition to a decarbonized glass industry.

The rebuild of the Pyrex glass furnace in Châteauroux has now begun: technical teams are draining the furnace.

The work will be spread out until mid-August 2022 during the summer off-peak period.

La Maison Française du Verre has received €1.8 million support from funds dedicated to energy transition from Ademe, the French environment agency.

La Maison Française du Verre is the new name of glassmaker International Cookware, owner of the Pyrex and Duralex glass brands.

Greg Morris has been editor of Glass International and organiser of the Glassman conferences since 2012, specialising in glass packaging. Prior to this he spent five years working in newspaper journalism.