French glass and building materials manufacturer Cie de Saint-Gobain has produced carbon-neutral flat glass thanks to recycled materials and green energy.
The production of such glass at the plant in Anische, in the north of France is part of Saint-Gobain's strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, according to Bloomberg
The material noted that production is the last sign that manufacturers of building materials are joining to invest in reducing emissions.
Saint-Gobain has adjusted the technical parameters of the furnace to a double task, namely to work with 100% recycled material and 100% biogas, while ensuring proper optical quality of the glass. In 2021, the company used about 25% of recycled glass in its products.
Maud Tuode, head of the company's French glass business, said the tests produced about 2,000 tons of carbon-neutral glass, which could be used to make about 100,000 windows. In addition, it avoided 1,000 tons of carbon emissions.
Benoit d'Iribarne, senior vice president of technology and industrial performance, said the cost of such glass was several tens of percent higher than traditional due to the cost of collecting and sorting used glass and the high price of biogas. He also added that EU permits for carbon emissions should rise to € 200-300 per ton, with approx € 90 at the moment to "align" costs.
Claire Pedini, senior vice president of human resources and corporate social responsibility, said the company could produce low-carbon glass, which would include some of the recycled glass and renewable energy in the production process.
The article also noted that in 2021 Saint-Gobain announced plans to build the world's first carbon-neutral drywall plant in Norway.
We will remind, in France the largest is decarbonized lime production plant.
As EcoPoliticа reported earlier, according to PwC, investing in climate startups technologies increased by 210%.
