AGC and Saint-Gobain announced they are collaborating on the design of a pilot flat glass line that is expected to reduce direct CO2 emissions.
As part of this R&D project, AGC’s patterned glass production line in Barevka, Czech Republic, will be entirely refurbished into a high-performing line that is aiming to be 50 percent electrified and 50 percent fired by a combination of oxygen and gas. This is a technical breakthrough compared to current technology used in flat glass furnaces fired by natural gas. This sustainable flat glass line design will contribute to both companies’ paths toward carbon neutrality and to the acceleration of the flat glass industry's decarbonization.
This development will pave the way to the conversion of industrial flat glass lines because it can be powered mainly by low-carbon electricity, with significantly reduced carbon emissions. The new technology is expected to be implemented on the patterned glass line for operation by the second half of 2024.
What company leadership says
“To contribute to a sustainable world, AGC is committed to developing products that promote sustainable development, and to reducing the environmental impact of its production processes. Following our continued progress in decarbonization, AGC launched its first low-carbon glass product range at the end of 2022," says Davide Cappellino, president, Architectural Glass Europe & Americas of AGC. "Now this hybrid design melter is another important milestone in our Net Zero Trajectory to become carbon neutral as a company by 2050. The breakthrough design will be done jointly with Saint-Gobain, combining the best technical knowledge of both companies.”
“We at Saint-Gobain believe strongly in innovation through collaboration. That’s why we are delighted to co-develop with AGC a new most-advanced technology for flat glass production in the world,” says Joana Arreguy, industrial director, glass, Saint-Gobain. “This project is in line with Saint-Gobain's commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. This reduction in direct CO2 emissions will benefit our customers who look more and more for low-carbon products to be integrated into their solutions. It also comes a few months after Saint-Gobain made two world firsts: a zero carbon production of flat glass last May and the recent launch of ORAÉ, the world’s first low carbon glass.”
