Saint-Gobain, worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, and AGC Group, worldwide flat glass manufacturer, announce that they are collaborating to deploy a large-scale hybrid highly electrified furnace for flat glass production, designed to significantly reduce direct CO2 emissions.
The new furnace will be installed at Saint-Gobain’s flat glass plant in Avilés, Spain, replacing the existing furnace. Construction is expected to start in January 2027, with production resuming in the second half of 2027.
The FurHy project will be carried out in a technological partnership between Saint-Gobain and AGC Glass Europe, following the successful collaboration since 2023 on the VOLTA project, a smaller pilot electrified furnace operated in the Czech Republic. That pilot has proven the feasibility of electrification technologies to decarbonise flat glass production.
The hybrid furnace is expected to reach 75% of electrification of the melting process, representing a significant technological advancement for the flat glass industry. It will be powered by low-carbon electricity, secured through renewable energy supply agreements contracted in Spain by Saint-Gobain. This type of furnace is the largest electric furnace ever built for flat glass, making it a world first.
Once operational, the project is expected to:
- Avoid approximately 80 kt CO₂eq emissions per year, corresponding to around 50% emissions reduction compared to a conventional gas furnace,
- Save approximately 265 GWh of natural gas per year, the equivalent of a 80% reduction in comparison with a standard gas furnace,
- Enable the production of lower-carbon flat glass reaching the best existing international standards,
- Support the growing need for more sustainable solutions for the residential, non-residential and infrastructure markets in the region.
The project is funded by the European Union Emissions Trading System (ETS) Innovation Fund.