Absolut has signed an agreement with Ardagh Glass Packaging to employ the partly hydrogen-fired furnace, which is set to begin in second half of 2023, in a bid to encourage a transition to a more sustainable glassmaking process.

Currently using natural gas and electricity to power its furnaces, H2 View understands, Ardagh will replace 20% of its natural gas with green hydrogen to manufacture all of Absolut’s bottles, with hydrogen planned to be produced at Ardagh’s Limmared, Sweden site.

It is estimated that the use of hydrogen would reduce Absolut’s carbon footprint from glass by 20%, building off other joint initiatives to reduce emissions such as lightweight glass, increased use of electrify in current furnaces, and an increase in recycled flint glass.

Commenting on the pilot plans, Stéphanie Durrox, Chief Executive of The Absolut Company, said, “Given we’ve been investing in our own production for decades, decreasing our emissions and increasing energy efficiency, we’re now in a position where we also can focus on the parts of our value chain that are outside or our own scope.

“The glass manufacturing industry is in a transformative journey, and the world can’t wait for the perfect solution. A bold and innovative approach is needed to accelerate radical change that will help solve the significant sustainability challenges that all glassmakers and buyers of glass face.”

In July 2021, an Italian consortium made up of Snam, RINA, Bormioli Luigi, Bormioli Rocco, STARA GLASS, UNI.GE, Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro, IFRF Italia, SGRPRO, and RJC SOFT, revealed it planned to reduce emissions in the glass industry using hydrogen.

Read more: Italian consortium to decarbonise glass production with hydrogen

Bo Nilsson, Managing Director of Ardagh Glass Limmared, added, “Our industry needs to be less reliant on fossil fuels and transition at pace to using more green energy. By investing in this new technology, we are embarking on a journey to reduce the carbon footprint of our glass packaging. There are challenges with such innovation, but we are committed to being an early mover in future-proofing our glass manufacturing operations worldwide.”