St Helens, UK – This week, the Furnace Solutions glass event, organized by the Society of Glass Technology, celebrated innovation in the glass industry, with a particular focus on sustainability. A highlight of the conference was the recognition of Alessandro Monteforte, CEO of Padova, Italy-headquartered K2-CO2, who received the coveted Michael Garvey award for best paper.
Monteforte’s award-winning paper delved into the critical topic of CO2 capture systems utilizing Hot Potassium Carbonate (HPC) technology, specifically applied to glass furnaces. His presentation provided attendees with a comprehensive overview of how these advanced systems can effectively remove carbon emissions from glass manufacturing plants, a significant step towards a more sustainable future for the industry.
A compelling example cited in his presentation was the successful partnership between K2-CO2 and US float manufacturer Cardinal Glass Industries. Through this collaboration, Cardinal Glass Industries anticipates achieving an impressive 95% CO2 capture rate in its glass production process, demonstrating the tangible impact of K2-CO2’s technology. 
The two-day conference, held in St Helens, UK, brought together 118 attendees and featured a diverse array of papers from industry experts. Participants also had the opportunity to tour the adjacent Glass Futures facility, further enriching their understanding of cutting-edge developments in the glass sector.
While Mr. Monteforte had to depart early to catch a flight, preventing him from personally accepting the award, runner-up Professor Paul Bingham of Sheffield Hallam University graciously accepted the accolade on his behalf.
Kevin Rivers, chairman of the SGT’s Melting Technical Committee, lauded Monteforte’s paper as a “worthy winner.” He noted the close competition with Professor Bingham’s paper, which explored “Rethinking commercial glass compositions and raw materials for a more sustainable future.”
Rivers further commended Monteforte’s presentation, stating, “Mr Monteforte’s paper was a confidently presented well prepared informative presentation about a packaged system for CO2 capture, this can benefit clients in the glass industry. It certainly stirred interest.”
Overall, Rivers expressed his satisfaction with the conference, highlighting its smooth execution and the high caliber of speakers, which included representatives from three glass manufacturers and academia. He emphasized that while sustainability was the central theme, the conference successfully maintained a balance by incorporating other relevant subjects.
Among the insightful presentations was one by Nick Kirk of GTS, who provided a detailed examination of pEPR, underscoring the disproportionate burden faced by glass in comparison to plastic and aluminum packaging. Kirk advocated for continued lobbying efforts to encourage the government to consider the quantity of items rather than solely their weight, a more equitable approach.
The Furnace Solutions event underscored the glass industry’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, with K2-CO2’s achievement serving as a testament to the progress being made in reducing environmental impact. satisfaction with the conference’s smooth execution and the high quality of all papers presented, noting the balanced inclusion of various subjects alongside the central theme of sustainability.
Source: K2-Co2 with additional information added by GlassBalkan
