The Furnace of the Future Project Moves to Second Phase

Future Furnace Advances to Second Phase of EU Innovation Fund Future Furnace has been selected among 311 projects to advance to the second phase of the EU Innovation Fund, one of the world's largest financing programmes for the supply of innovative and low-carbon technologies. The EU Innovation Fund aims to support the commercial supply of innovative low-carbon technologies, providing EUR 10 billion in support between 2020-2030 to decarbonise Europe and bring industrial solutions to market while supporting transition to a climate-neutral process. The Future Furnace project is a breakthrough technology that will enable the sector's transition to renewable electricity and reduce CO₂ emissions in the furnace by up to 60%. In glass packaging production, approximately 80% gas and 20% electricity are currently used together. By reversing this energy consumption to 20% gas and 80% renewable electricity, the carbon footprint of glass packaging is planned to be reduced significantly. FEVE President Michel Giannuzzi: "We are honoured to be among the 70 projects strategically evaluated by the European Commission to deliver a climate-neutral circular economy. We are preparing to move to the second round of implementation to bring Future Furnace to life as quickly as possible. Future Furnace is an important step towards a sustainable future for glass packaging. Through this project, we will strengthen our relationships with our customers by taking their priorities into account," he said. GCA General Director Dr. Abdullah Gayret commented on the matter as follows: "With over 25 years of experience in glass production as the Gürok family and approximately 10 years in the glass sector as GCA, we continue to take steps that add value to the country's economy, the glass packaging sector and our business partners, aiming for the highest quality in products and services. The Future Furnace Project, designed under the leadership of the European Glass Packaging Manufacturers Association (FEVE), of which GCA is also a member, is advancing with confident steps towards becoming an important milestone in the glass packaging industry's decarbonisation journey. We are very excited to be part of this project and to be taking important steps towards a sustainable future,' he said. The Future Furnace Project is supported both technically and financially by 19 glass manufacturers representing more than 90% of European production. Each sector stakeholder will provide co-financing to the project and in return will have access to the relevant know-how and technology. Working together as a sector in this project will have many advantages such as public offering and scaling of the technology in the future. Companies participating in the Future Furnace Project: GCA, Allied Glass, Ardagh Group, BA Glass, Beatson Clarc, Gerresheimer Group, OI Europe, Pochet Group, Saverglass Group, SGD Pharma, Steklarna Hrastnik, Stölzle Glass Groupe, Verallia Group, Verescence, Vetreria Cooperativa, Vetreria Etrusca, Vetropack Group, Vidrala Group, Wiegand-Glashüttenwerke GmbH.