Orora has started operations at its newly rebuilt oxygen-fuelled glass furnace in Gawler, South Australia, marking a significant leap in energy efficiency and sustainability for manufacturing glass wine bottles.
The new furnace is powered by oxyfuel technology, enabled by an onsite oxygen plant. This advancement places the furnace among the top 10 per cent of energy-efficient glass furnaces globally.
The oxygen plant project, announced in 2022, was backed by a $12.5 million federal government grant under the Modern Manufacturing Initiative – Manufacturing Translation Stream, Recycling and Clean Energy program. The grant aimed to accelerate the adoption of low-emissions technology in Australian manufacturing.
The plus-side
The oxyfuel furnace is designed to deliver substantial environmental benefits. According to Orora, it is expected to reduce nitrogen oxides emissions by up to 80 per cent, cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 20 per cent, and lower total furnace energy consumption by up to 25 per cent.
Greg Savage, senior vice president – Asia Pacific for Orora Glass, said the company is combining an increasing amount of recycled cullet from its beneficiation plant with its oxygen-fuelled furnace to deliver more sustainable, lower-carbon glass containers for customers.
Traditional furnaces use a mixture of natural gas and atmospheric air for combustion, which includes approximately 78 per cent nitrogen. Since nitrogen does not contribute to combustion, the energy required to heat it is wasted. Oxyfuel technology replaces air with pure oxygen, eliminating nitrogen from the process. This reduces energy use and allows for higher flame temperatures, which are more efficient for melting glass ingredients, including recycled cullet.
The bigger picture
The new furnace forms part of Orora’s broader sustainability strategy, which includes adopting renewable energy and producing lightweight glass bottles.
Orora’s Gawler site is powered by renewable electricity sourced from wind and solar assets through long-term power purchase agreements. The company is also committed to developing lightweight glass bottles to reduce material use and transportation emissions. For example, its sparkling wine bottle is approximately 15 per cent lighter than previous versions.
Orora is also collaborating with the International Partners in Glass Research (IPGR) to work towards the development of zero-carbon glass bottles.
A key focus for Orora is increasing the use of recycled glass in production. Cullet, or crushed recycled glass, requires less energy to melt than raw materials, significantly lowering the environmental impact of glass manufacturing. Orora’s glass beneficiation plant (also located at Gawler), which produces up to 150,000 tonnes of cullet annually, has boosted the average recycled content in its glass products from 38 per cent in 2023 to 50 per cent in 2024. The company has set an ambitious target to reach 60 per cent recycled content by 2025.
The rebuilt oxyfuel furnace, combined with Orora’s investment in recycling infrastructure and renewable energy, reflects the company’s commitment to driving sustainability in the beverage packaging industry. Following the acquisition of Saverglass and the sale of its OPS business in North America, Orora has its sights squarely set on growing its share of the beverage packaging market, investing and innovating to this end.
