Sustainable spirits: Bacardi's breakthrough in hydrogen bottle production

Bacardi, a family-owned spirits company, has achieved a significant milestone by completing the world's first commercial production of a glass spirits bottle powered by hydrogen. The successful trial, conducted earlier this month, marks a collaborative effort between Bacardi and premium glassmaker Hrastnik1860.

In an innovative approach, Bacardi and Hrastnik1860 pioneered new technology that utilised hydrogen as the primary energy source for a glass furnace. This groundbreaking initiative aims to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, commonly associated with traditional glass bottle production.

The trial featured the iconic ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur bottle, maintaining an identical appearance to bottles produced using conventional methods. These hydrogen-fueled glass bottles are set to be available in bars and stores in the coming weeks.

During the trial phase, which resulted in the production of 150,000 70cl glass bottles for the brand, hydrogen accounted for over 60% of the fuel for the glass furnace. This innovative approach led to a remarkable reduction of more than 30% in GHG emissions, underscoring Bacardi's commitment to environmentally sustainable practices in its production processes.

Rodolfo Nervi, Vice President, Safety, Quality and Sustainability for Bacardi, said: Piloting this lower carbon glass production is another example of Bacardi leading the industry in environmental best practice. 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.