Energy and Environment

Seven strategies for the decarbonisation of the glass industry in Italy by 2050

These are the indications contained in a study carried out by researchers from ENEA and Assovetro as part of the decarbonisation plans for high-emission industries

by Davide Madeddu

31 January 2026

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

From the use of green fuels (biogas and hydrogen) to CO₂ capture and storage to the increased use of recycled glass.

These are some of the seven indications for decarbonising the glass industry set out in the proposal contained in a study conducted by Enea with Assovetro, in which various strategies for energy transition were examined. The study, published in the international journal Gases, as Assovetro president Marco Ravasi points out, "examines an energy-intensive sector through an integrated approach adapted to the national reality".

3.7 million tonnes of CO2

Not least because the glass sector in Italy emits about 3.7 million tonnes of CO₂ per year, of which 75 per cent is generated within the company's perimeter (combustion of natural gas in furnaces and chemical reactions of raw materials in the mixing phase) and the remainder related to electricity consumption in production plants.

Seven roads indicated

The paths indicated in the study range from the use of green fuels (biogas and hydrogen) to CO₂ capture and storage. No less important are energy efficiency measures, the electrification of furnaces and increasing the use of recycled glass. And then the use of already decarbonised raw materials and the use of electricity from renewable sources.

Technological levers to combine

Not a miracle recipe, but, as Claudia Bassano, co-author of the study and researcher at ENEA's Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources Department, points out, technological levers 'designed to be combined in a flexible manner, depending on the specific constraints of plants and types of production', also in the light of the fact that 'diversification of solutions is considered a priority in order to achieve climate neutrality objectives'.

The way of green fuel and CCs

The research and experimentation was divided into two parts. In the first, called Green fuel, the most effective measure was the use of biomethane and green hydrogen, "allowing a 45% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions," the study emphasises. "In terms of effectiveness, this was followed by CO2 capture and storage measures, which would contribute to a 26% reduction in residual emissions (followed by 21% from energy efficiency and electrification, 3% from the use of scrap glass, and 4% from decarbonised alternative raw materials). In the second part, the strategy called Carbon Capture and Storage, 'the real driver of the transition was precisely CO2 capture and storage, which eliminated 69% of emissions. This was followed by 21% from energy efficiency and electrification, 7% from green fuel and 3% from recycled glass'.

The costs of reaching 2050

Into this scenario comes the question of costs. The researchers have calculated, as she points out, 'that the total cost in 2050 for adopting the green fuel strategy would be about EUR 15 billion, divided into EUR 4 billion for plants and infrastructure and EUR 10.6 billion for operating costs'. "Critical elements of this strategy compared to the CCS strategy," he continues, "are the high costs of green hydrogen and biofuels, as well as their reduced availability, which would not allow them to replace natural gas in energy-intensive industries such as glass. In addition, there are what the researcher calls 'significant infrastructural challenges': 'Biogas can be burnt in existing furnaces without modification,' she argues, 'while hydrogen may require changes if used in high percentages. The CO2 capture and storage side is expected to cost EUR 11.2 billion, broken down into EUR 5.4 billion for plant and infrastructure and EUR 5.8 billion for operating costs. "Despite the lower cost of this scenario," he concludes, "CCS technologies still present the difficulty of finding suitable geological sites, the complexity and high cost of CO2 separation, and regulatory and authorisation hurdles that further complicate their implementation.