AGC Group, the World's Two Largest Flat Glass Producers, Have Joined Forces to Build the First Large-scale Hybrid Electric Furnace for Flat

The project, named FurHy, will replace a traditional gas furnace at Saint-Gobain's facility in Avilés, Spain. Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2027, with production expected to resume in the second half of that year. "This type of furnace is the largest electric furnace ever built for flat glass, making it a world first, the company stated.

The goal is to cut direct carbon emissions in half by transitioning 75% of its melting process to low-carbon electricity sourced through local Spanish renewable energy contracts. Glass furnaces are high-temperature industrial kilns that melt raw materials such as silica sand, soda ash, limestone, and recycled glass into homogeneous molten glass at temperatures exceeding 1,500°C (2,700°F). Since these furnaces operate around the clock for up to nearly 20 years before requiring a rebuild, the technology deployed today locks in carbon footprints for decades.

The FurHy furnace aims to change this equation. The new furnace is expected to save approximately 265 GWh of natural gas each year—an 80% reduction compared to conventional models. This shift will halve the plant's overall carbon footprint, preventing roughly 80,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually.

The partnership builds on the success of the duo's smaller VOLTA project in Barevka, Czech Republic, which proved that electrifying glass production was an operational reality. Supported by the EU Innovation Fund, the companies are pooling capital and sharing technology risks to accelerate heavy industry's transition toward net-zero carbon operations by 2050. Glass produced from the Avilés hybrid furnace will directly supply Saint-Gobain's ORAÉ® low-carbon glass line and AGC's sustainable product portfolio. "Following the successful adoption of our very low-carbon glass ORAÉ®, this project marks a major step in the decarbonization of flat glass manufacturing, said Nicolas Miègeville, Chief Technology Officer at Saint-Gobain.

The initiative addresses surging demand across housing, commercial, and infrastructure markets for sustainable building materials. Both companies are giving architects and developers tools needed to secure green building certifications like LEED and BREEAM while reducing upfront environmental footprints. The glass industry is also pursuing other decarbonization strategies: increasing recycled glass scrap (cullet) lowers furnace energy demands and eliminates chemical process emissions from virgin materials; manufacturers are testing hydrogen blends as alternative energy sources; and carbon-capture systems are being deployed for residual emissions that electrification cannot resolve.