Abstract
AbstractGlobal glass production grew to 150 million tonnes (Mt) in 2014, equating to approximately 21 kg per person. Producing this glass is energy intensive and contributes annual CO2emissions of some 86Mt. An accurate map of the global glass supply chain is needed to help identify emissions mitigation options from across the supply chain, including process energy efficiency and material efficiency options. This map does not yet exist, so we address this knowledge gap by tracing the production chain from raw materials to end of life and producing a global Sankey diagram of container and flat glass making for 2014. To understand future demand for flat glass we also model the stocks of glass in vehicles and buildings. The analysis shows the relative scale of glass flows and stocks worldwide and provides a baseline for future study of the emission mitigation potential of energy and material efficiency of manufacturing with glass.
Highlights
The production of glass is energy intensive and results in significant global CO2 emissions, contributing around 86 Mt1 of CO2 or some 0.3% of worldwide emissions (IEA, 2020)
The glass life cycle starts on the left-hand side of the diagram with the batch preparation of 144 million tonnes (Mt) of virgin raw materials and 28 Mt of cullet
The batch melts in the furnace, resulting in intermediate flat glass products (96 Mt) and container products (97 Mt), and the release of process emissions (22 Mt), due to the decomposition of virgin feedstock
Summary
The production of glass is energy intensive and results in significant global CO2 emissions, contributing around 86 Mt1 of CO2 or some 0.3% of worldwide emissions (IEA, 2020). To obtain credible estimates of the global energy use and emissions in the glass industry, one must return to the International Energy Agency report (IEA, 2007). A map of the flows of glass, through the global production system, does not exist, despite being critical for understanding the drivers of energy use and emissions, exploring mitigation options across the entire supply chain, and proposing solutions for reaching climate change targets. Addressing energy use and emissions in the glass industry is important
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