Bacardi, a family-owned spirits company, has successfully completed its first commercial production of glass spirits bottles using hydrogen in a trial that took place early December 2023.
Working alongside Hrastnik1860, a premium glassmaker, Bacardi was able to pioneer new technology that utilized hydrogen as its primary energy source to power a glass furnace, allowing the company to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced as a byproduct of glass bottle production.
Bacardi selected its ST-GERMAIN elderflower liqueur bottle for the demonstration, which is identical in appearance to the bottle produced using traditional methods.
During the trial, the company produced 150,000 bottles, and hydrogen contributed more than 60% of the fuel for the glass furnace – cutting greenhouse gas emissions by more than 30%.
“We will take the learnings from the trial to help shape a pathway to hydrogen-fueled glass production and create a blueprint for others to follow. It’s only through making change as an industry that we can bring significant change to our impact on the environment,” said Rodolfo Nervi, Vice President of Safety, Quality, and Sustainability at Bacardi.
