VOLTA: One year demonstrating hybrid melting at industrial scale

The VOLTA pilot furnace has now completed one full year of continuous operation, marking a decisive milestone in the demonstration of hybrid melting for flat glass. Since its start-up in early 2025, the pilot has delivered stable and consistent production, providing strong technological validation of the robustness of the hybrid concept.

Over the year, operational performance fully met design expectations. Energy consumption, temperature control and glass quality at the level of float glass were confirmed across a wide range of cullet ratios and pull rates. These results strengthen confidence in the scalability of the concept and support its suitability for future industrial-scale deployment.

The higher energy efficiency of the hybrid technology, combined with a 50% share of electricity (with certified renewable sourcing) and a significant increase in cullet use (88% in standard operation compared with 40% previously), delivers a 66% reduction in fossil fuel consumption and a 71% reduction in Scope 1+3 CO₂ emissions compared to reference (emissions related to gas and raw materials only, according to Innovation Fund accounting). Moving toward large-scale deployment will require substantial investment, and ensuring a cost-effective balance between electricity and gas remains a key focus for the next phases of development.

These achievements are the result of the constructive collaboration between Saint-Gobain Glass and AGC, whose combined expertise has been instrumental to the success of the VOLTA project. After this first successful year of operation, VOLTA stands as a validated technological platform and a solid cornerstone for industrial-scale extrapolation, supporting both companies’ progress toward low‑carbon flat glass production.