Set to be built at Encric’s plant in Elton, Cheshire, it is hoped the facility could reduce carbon emissions by 90% with an energy mix of green electricity and low-carbon hydrogen, with carbon capture technology capturing the remaining emissions.
The two companies are stating it will be the ‘world’s first’ furnace to be powered by zero-carbon electricity and hydrogen.
The hydrogen used to power Encric’s facility in Elton, Cheshire UK, will be provided by Vertex Hydrogen who are a partner of the UK Government backed HyNet North West cluster.
Read more: HyNet North West to support the decarbonisation of Encric’s glass operations using hydrogen
The new project aims to reduce emissions from industry, homes, transport and the power generation sector in the North West in a bid to transition to a low carbon economy.
Diageo have a collection of brands across the alcohol industry, including Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Gordon’s and Tanqueray, which will all hope to be provided with Net Zero bottles by 2030.
The creation of the zero-carbon furnace will contribute towards Diageo’s ESG action plan Society 2030 as they aim to reduce emissions across their supply chain.
Ewan Andrew, President, Global Supply and Procurement and Chief Sustainability Officer at Diageo, said “We are really excited to be a part of this world leading announcement which forms part of our commitment to halve our scope 3 carbon emissions by 2030.
“All renewable energy options are important to us, and we’d like to see Government and industry further accelerating the direct supply of green energy as a mainstream option,” concluded Andrew.
Last month (November 2022), Absolut Vodka announced plans to move to a partly hydrogen-fired glass furnace for large-scale production in a step towards cutting its carbon dioxide emission.
Read more: Absolut Vodka to clean up its glassmaking with partly hydrogen-fired furnance
Absolut 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.