Saint-Gobain: first zero-carbon production of flat glass in the world

Saint-Gobain has become the first manufacturer in the world to achieve zero carbon production of flat glass.

This technological feat was achieved by using 100 percent recycled glass (cullet) and 100 percent green energy, produced from biogas and decarbonized electricity. It was implemented for one week at Saint-Gobain’s Aniche flat glass manufacturing plant in northern France.

By mobilizing the network of partners developed by Saint-Gobain, the focus was placed on circularity, with the use of 100 percent cullet from end-of-life glass from renovation or demolition sites and from production offcuts. The Group’s industrial and research teams succeeded in adjusting all of the furnace’s technical parameters to this dual challenge of operating with 100 percent recycled material and 100 percent biogas, while ensuring the right optical quality of the glass. This pilot production demonstrates Saint-Gobain’s capacity for innovation throughout the value chain.

This achievement is a clear demonstration of Saint-Gobain’s commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. It complements the Group’s investment announced last year to build the world’s first carbon neutral plasterboard plant in Norway, and further strengthens the Group’s position as the worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction and its leading role in helping to build a carbon-neutral economy.