Iris Ceramica Goes Green for New Facility
FIORANO MODENESE, Italy — Iris Ceramica Group will use hydrogen to power a new ceramic-slab factory in Italy.
H2 Factory™ is a new, ground-breaking production plant based in Castellarano, Italy, near Iris headquarters in Fiorano Modenese. The plant, involving a €50 million investment by Iris Ceramica, will use green hydrogen to produce renewable energy with a pioneering, custom-built system from Milan-based Edison Next.
This initiative marks the start of a new journey for the company towards the decarbonization of a particularly energy-intensive industrial sector, which is a crucial contribution for achieving the energy transition objectives of both Italy and the ceramic district.
The first step towards decarbonization was completed last year, with Iris planning the new factory, including engineering a kiln to be powered by a 50-50 blend of hydrogen and natural gas.
Edison Next will build a 1 MW green hydrogen production system based on electrolysis, powered by renewable energy. The electrolyzer uses rainwater from collection tanks, which fosters virtuous water management following the circular economy’s principles.
The expected annual production of approximately 132 tonnes of green hydrogen will replace about 500,000 m3 of methane gas. Right from the start, the blend will significantly reduce carbon-dioxide emissions, saving an estimate 900 tonnes of CO2 per year .
A kiln fully powered by hydrogen is under study.
The factory, which will be powered by hydrogen starting in 2025, will produce large slabs in 4D Ceramics –the “fourth dimension” referring to sustainability – and large full-body technical porcelain stoneware surfaces in thicknesses 1.2cm and 2cm.
“We are looking at a new dawn for the porcelain stoneware industry and the sector as a whole,” said Federica Minozzi, CEO of Iris Ceramica Group. “The underlying principle of our green hydrogen factory is what I define as a new industrial humanism, with a central focus on sustainability and all its factors: environmental, social, and economic.
“The challenge is to assure significant savings of CO2 in the next two years, paving the way for the ceramic sector and the whole district, demonstrating that even an energy-intensive industry can become a virtuous ‘net zero’ energy transition model.”
Minozzi added that Iris Ceramica will work with Edison Next towards a goal of achieving carbon neutrality companywide with production of ceramic slabs by 2030. This agreement is a key step along Iris Ceramica’s decarbonization journey, which may involve the development of green hydrogen production systems in other factories of the group.
