The German glass industry fears rising energy costs could endanger the energy transition.
BV Glas, the association which represents the domestic glass industry, said it was concerned about rising energy costs for electricity and natural gas.
As an energy-intensive industry, it faces the challenge of making its processes climate-neutral in the future if it wants to achieve the ambitious political climate targets by 2045.
Electricity plays a decisive role in all future technologies - be it the electrification of glass tanks or the switch from natural gas to green hydrogen.
By consistently implementing energy-saving measures, the glass industry has already reduced energy consumption and thus CO2 emissions in the last few decades according to the state of the art.
A further reduction can only be achieved by switching from conventional energy sources - above all natural gas - to alternative, renewable energy sources.
The focus is currently on three technologies for decarbonising the glass industry: full electrification with green electricity, the construction of hybrid glass tanks that run on electricity and natural gas or, later, hydrogen, and the use of renewable gases such as hydrogen or biogenic gases.
Green electricity is the key energy source for all technologies; in the production of hydrogen, for example, it is required for electrolysis.
BV-Glas President Dr. Frank Heinricht said: “The glass industry is facing the challenges of the future and is researching intensively into converting its processes.
“However, it is also dependent on politics creating the necessary infrastructure and framework conditions for change.
“Above all, this includes low energy prices in order to remain competitive even after the switch to renewable energy sources."
