Schott from Mainz receives the prestigious "Innovation Prize New Gases 2024" from BDEW, Zukunft Gas, and DVGW for the world's first successful industrial glass production using pure hydrogen. The project prevailed in the application technology category against more than 100 competitors.
The Mainz-based company demonstrated in continuous 24/7 operation that a glass melting furnace can be powered entirely by hydrogen. Project leaders Dr. Lenka Deneke and Dr. Matthias Kaffenberger confirmed the consistently high glass quality despite switching from natural gas to hydrogen.
Path to Climate-Neutral Production
CEO Frank Heinricht emphasizes the remaining challenges: there is a lack of infrastructure and competitive prices for green hydrogen. Besides hydrogen, Schott is also pursuing electrification of melting furnaces with green electricity to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.
The prize, under the patronage of the Federal Ministry of Research, has honored innovations in the gas sector since 1980. The expert jury, led by Prof. Dr. Frank Behrendt, particularly evaluated efficiency, implementation speed, and economic viability. The renaming to "Innovation Prize New Gases" reflects the transition to more climate-friendly energy sources.
