Four project bids were successful in receiving over 1.5 million GBP of funding to deliver the new projects. Awarded by Innovate UK and UK Research and Innovation, the aim of the funding is to bring businesses from different foundation industries together to work on common resource and energy efficiency opportunities.
Glass Technology Services will lead one of the awarded projects – EnviroAsh – Development new waste-derived raw materials for the Foundation Industries – whilst supporting the delivery of the further three projects providing glass industry access and expertise.
Senior Technologist, Dr Owen McGann from Glass Technology Services commented, “The funding secured by Glass Technology Services and our partners in the transforming future industries (TFI) call will enable us to continue working with the glass industry in reducing its energy demands and generation of carbon dioxide.
“We will collaborate in four distinct projects which all seek to lead to positive change in the glass industry; identifying routes to convert waste streams into new raw materials, enhancing inspection techniques to reduce costly post processing, developing new techniques for forming glass components with lower energy use or through the direct harvesting of energy from industrial heat emissions.
“We believe, alongside our collaborators, that these projects will directly benefit both the glass industry and wider foundation industries. Through these projects Glass Technology Services is maintaining its position at the forefront of research and development in the UK glass sector.”
The EnviroAsh project brings together partners from across six foundation industries – glass, ceramics, steel, paper, cement and chemicals – as well as the energy sector, academia and the waste and raw material supply chain.
The project will identify opportunities to take waste ashes, slags, mineral by-products and filter dusts from across the foundation industries and convert them into new raw materials for a range of products in the glass, ceramic and cement industries and is a follow on from a current Glass Technology Services’ project EnviroGlass2.
Another goal of the project will be to explore how these new feedstocks might create opportunities to improve product performance in a cost-effective manner. Using practical lab demonstrations and commercial-scale demonstrations, the consortium will assess how the new-waste materials can be incorporated into existing products and processes.
Work on this project is due to kick off in July 2020.
Marlin Magallanes, project lead for EnviroAsh said, “We are delighted to receive funding to expand upon an established consortium [EnviroGlass2] introducing new partners from others foundation industries. The work we have undertaken can revolutionise glass manufacture by using waste materials and can support the important goal to decarbonise the glass industry.”
The EnviroAsh consortium, led by Glass Technology Services includes Sheffield Hallam University, The University of Sheffield, Power Minerals, Glassworks Services, Glass Futures, Encirc, Saica Paper, Drax Power, Wienerberger and Castle Cement.