In the year CRISAL celebrates eight decades of innovation and excellence in the glass industry, it also marks the first production run from its oxyhybrid furnace. This investment is part of a strategy strongly focused on decarbonization, supported by Anders Invest and Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). 

Today, December 4th, 2024, we celebrate the start-up of a next generation oxyhybrid glass melting furnace, featuring an electrification level of up to 80%. Natural gas consumption will gradually be replaced by renewable gases, significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels. With a melting capacity of 90 tons per day, this furnace represents a technological milestone within Working Package 2 of the ECP Mobilizing Agenda – Ecoceramics and Glassware of Portugal, dedicated to decarbonization and circularity in the sector. It stands as a decisive step toward a sustainable future for glass production in Portugal. 

The project began in August 2024 with the demolition of the regenerative furnace, paving the way for the oxy-hybrid furnace (oxygen combustion). In just 100 days, the team completed drainage, demolition, construction, heating, filling, and final works in December. Today marks the production of the first product from the oxyhybrid furnace, signaling the start of a more sustainable manufacturing process. 

This is a pioneering project in Europe, serving as an experimental platform to test different energy combinations, electrification levels, and combustion with renewable gases, including green hydrogen and biomethane, in an industrial environment. The goal is to validate the oxy-hybrid model and assess its replicability across other glass industries. 

CRISAL thus takes a leading role in driving decarbonization in the industry, both in Portugal and across Europe. 

A significant milestone for CRISAL and the LCGlass Group!