GIFFT Project for Decarbonizing Glass Manufacturing Presented at Annual Energy Conference

On March 13, the Lithuanian Energy Institute hosted the Annual Conference "Thermal Energy – 2025." Organized in partnership with Kaunas University of Technology, the Lithuanian Heat Suppliers Association, and the Lithuanian Thermoengineering Association, the event focused on key challenges and future opportunities in the thermal energy sector. The conference brought together over 150 participants, including energy professionals, heat producers, policymakers, industry associations, energy companies, and researchers, to discuss the sector's development and prospects.

Discussions covered a broad spectrum of energy policy, regulatory, and technological advancements, including synthetic fuels, hydrogen transportation, the integration and balancing of renewable energy sources, project financing, and the optimization of heat and electricity generation and supply systems. The event also highlighted the latest research-based technological innovations aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the heating sector, such as reducing heat supply temperatures and expanding the use of renewable energy sources (RES) and waste heat. Additionally, the conference addressed current challenges in energy specialist training.

Presenters showcased international projects currently underway in the energy sector. Among them, Dr. Nerijus Striūgas, Head of the Combustion Processes Laboratory at the Lithuanian Energy Institute, introduced the Sustainable Glass Industry with GIFFT project—an initiative designed to support the decarbonization of the energy-intensive glass manufacturing sector by developing fuel-flexible technologies.