Glass production: Linde is planning to build a 5-megawatt electrolyzer in São Paulo, Brazil. This electrolyzer, which will be operated by the subsidiary White Martins, will produce green hydrogen for the local glass industry.
The production of glass based on green hydrogen can avoid high CO2 emissions. Now a Brazilian company is also following the new trend. An electrolyzer from Linde is to supply the hydrogen. The new plant will be powered by renewable energy from local solar and wind power plants. It will therefore produce certified green hydrogen independently of the grid.
After commissioning in 2025, the alkaline pressurized electrolyser will supply the glass manufacturer Cebrace with hydrogen, which will be used in its glass melting furnaces in the city of Jacareí. In a press release on April 18, Linde pointed out that the electrolyzer will also supply the metal, food and chemical industries.
"By investing in green hydrogen to supply the industrial center of São Paulo, we are reaffirming our commitment to the energy transition in Brazil," said Gilney Bastos, President South Latin America, Linde. "We look forward to helping Cebrace achieve its decarbonization goals while supporting the transition of commercial customers to lower-carbon solutions."
Decarbonization of glass production
Cebrace, which mainly produces specialty glass for the construction sector, is a joint venture between the French company Saint-Gobain and the Japanese company Nippon Sheet Glass,
European glass manufacturers are also already producing hydrogen-based glass. Most recently, specialty glass producer Schott from Germany announced the first production of thin optical glass with 100% hydrogen firing. However, the analysis of the effect of hydrogen on product quality has not yet been completed.
The new electrolyzer is Linde's second hydrogen plant in Brazil. Linde subsidiary White Martins installed an electrolyzer in Pernambuco in 2022. Since then, it has produced the first internationally certified green hydrogen in South America.
