AGC and Saint-Gobain will collaborate on the design of a pilot flat glass line that is expected to reduce the companies’ direct CO2 emissions.

AGC’s patterned glass production line in Barevka, Czech Republic, will be entirely refurbished into a high performing and modernised line.

The line aims to be 50% electrified and 50% 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.

It will be the most sustainable flat glass line design contributing to both companies’ paths towards carbon neutrality and to the necessary acceleration of the flat glass industry decarbonisation.

This development could pave the way for the conversion of industrial flat glass lines that are mainly powered by low carbon electricity, more efficient than any gas solution, and have reduced carbon emissions for the customers’ benefit.

The technology is expected to be implemented on the patterned glass line for operational success by the second half of 2024.

Davide Cappellino, President Architectural Glass Europe & Americas of AGC, said: “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 technology knowledge of both companies.”

Joana Arreguy, Industrial Director Glass, Saint-Gobain, said: “We are delighted to co-develop with AGC [the] new, most advanced technology for flat glass production in the world."

The news comes a few months after Saint-Gobain became the first company in the world to achieve zero carbon production of flat glass last May.