A glass furnace never cools: melting at ~1,500 °C around the clock makes the sector energy-intense per tonne, with ~75–80% of CO2 from fuel and ~20% from carbonate raw materials. Furnace rebuild cycles (10–15 yr) define when the big technology steps can happen.
| Year | Free allocation (EU) | Payable carbon cost | Annual bill (per 100,000 t glass) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 97.5% | €1.06 / t glass | €106,425 |
| 2030 | 51.5% | €20.65 / t glass | €2,064,645 |
| 2034 | 0.0% | €42.57 / t glass | €4,257,000 |
At EUA €77.4 (11 Jun 2026) and ≈0.4–0.7 t CO2/t glass (container/flat; FEVE/IEA). EU ETS industry schedule; exporters under CBAM follow the mirrored phase-in. Power sectors pay 100% from day one.
Indicative reduction potential of each measure against the relevant emissions share (sources: IEA industry roadmaps, sector associations — see each measure page). Measures stack but don't simply add.
Most glass-plant heat losses regulators never see: forehearths, annealing lehrs, steam and hot-water distribution — all serviceable with removable systems while the furnace itself stays specialist territory. Cullet preheating plus distribution-side insulation are the two cheapest tonnes in the sector.
Method: ASTM C680 / ISO 12241 surface energy balance — the same engine as our public calculators. Typical removable-insulation effect across hot-process plants: 2–5% of fuel-related CO2, payback up to 2 years.
Direct-emission intensities, typical published values per industry page — units differ by product; see each page for sources.
