The oldest still-working glassworks improved the energy efficiency with Enterprise Europe Network sustainability and advisory services
Petr Novosad, CEO and owner, Glassworks Harrachov: “Glass production is very energy-intensive, and energy prices are very crucial for the company. To mitigate the situation, we have approached specialists from the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) by Technology Centre Prague with request to identify ways of support.
Through the perfectly personalised services of the Sustainability Advisor, EENergy funding was identified. They also helped us with the preparation of the application, which proved to be successful. This helped us to reduce energy consumption for lighting in three production buildings by at least 66%. And this was the only public support during the energy crisis happening in 2024.
Before
aFTER
Cooperation between the Prague Technology Centre and the Harrachov glassworks began 17 years ago, in 2008, and this client journey reached one of the peaks in 2024, when the company was awarded by EEN Awards.
The cooperation has continued and recently at the beginning of the energy crisis, the company approached the TC Prague with the question how to deal with high and volatile energy prices. Glass production is very energy-intensive and energy prices are very crucial for the company, as energy costs are the second highest cost in the glass factory after salaries. Natural gas is the main energy input for glass production at the glassworks in Harrachov in the north of the Czech Republic. The high energy bills also included the cost of electricity from the grid. Management of the company came with several project ideas and requested some funding from national sources, but local programmes did not reflect the specific conditions of the glass industry and were not as flexible and simple.
In the course of the EENergy Open Call 1, Mr. Novosad, CEO, decided for a new cooperation after direct contact with the Technology Centre Prague. He appreciated the advantages of this European financing with a request for only 5% of the reduction target, which was directly presented to him. Several smart projects in this volume seemed feasible, but the final decision was to replace old and inefficient lighting in the production area of the Harrachov plant. Older discharge and fluorescent lamps (36 W, 58 W to 250 W power of tubes and lamps) were used there and after successful project application to EENergy project, implementation of new LED lighting (50 W, 80 W power) in three production halls was provided within 3 months after signing the grant agreement. Before, the company has had no experience with the European funding and administration, so a support from sustainability consultants who helped with identification of source, preparation of energy assessment, individual assistance in preparation of application and grant agreement, was crucial.
This activity was based on the company’s energy efficiency action plan and supported the sustainability efforts of the family business. The company received an EENergy grant of €10,000 and saved more than 66% of electricity for lighting through this action.
