Decarbonising UK Glass and Ceramics: Building an Evidence Base

The UK’s glass and ceramics sectors are key for the UK’s foundational industrial base, providing vital materials in critical economic supply chains and supporting wider economic resilience. Both sectors have unique decarbonisation challenges and rely on high-temperature, continuous processes that are technically complex and capital-intensive.  Both sectors have made advancements in energy efficiency and waste heat recovery. Glass is progressing on hybrid and electric furnaces, whereas ceramics faces limits to electrification and hydrogen for fuel switching, constrained by supply and cost.

The glass sector, particularly container glass, has deployed commercially available fuel-switching technologies including fully electric cold top vertical melting (CTVM) furnaces at TRL 9 and hybrid natural gas/electric furnaces at TRL 7–9, with cold end operations now almost entirely electric and increased cullet use reducing emissions. Hydrogen-electric furnaces remain at low TRL as firms don’t expect hydrogen availability by next kiln replacement. Challenges persist for flat glass electrification, while glass wool production faces significant barriers as fiberising and curing lack viable low-carbon solutions and proprietary patented processes inhibit collaboration and knowledge sharing. Circular economy challenges also persist as significant cullet volumes are shipped overseas due to UK waste and recycling policy.

The ceramics sector faces more structural, techno-economic challenges as hydrogen and electrification face issues regarding technology readiness, economic viability, supply and infrastructure. Electric kilns for smaller production lines are at TRL 9, but larger kiln electrification remains challenging due to flame characteristics and combustion chemistry. Hydrogen firing is at TRL 7 progressing toward TRL 8, but limited hydrogen supply access remains a key barrier to fuel-switching. Around 30% of sector emissions stem from inherent raw material chemistry which cannot be addressed through equipment change.  The ceramics sector also faces regulatory barriers as it currently doesn’t qualify for energy cost support including the Supercharger Scheme, with the  scheme applying only to electricity-intensive industries and offering no relief to gas-primary businesses with concerns around accuracy and representativeness of ‘real-world’ data used in eligibility assessments.

Across both sectors, decarbonisation economics, especially high capital and operating costs, prevent deployment of low-carbon technologies even at high TRLs. Long-lived assets (15–50 years) create costly technology lock-in despite policy changes. High UK electricity costs make electrification impractical, while upgrade costs, long lead times, and grid capacity uncertainty deter investment. Hydrogen lacks national infrastructure and pricing clarity, and high biomethane prices and CCUS uncertainty hinder alternatives, exacerbated by no UK ETS zero-rating for biomethane. Competition from cheaper imports and lighter packaging incentivised by weight-based charges raise significant competitive concerns.

Both glass and ceramics highlighted lowering energy costs as the first priority for decarbonisation, requiring levels comparable with international competitors. Energy-intensive businesses rely on natural gas to fire kilns, so meaningful support must address gas consumption and structural UK pricing disparities, as manufacturers face costs roughly twice the European average. Levelling the playing field through long-term targeted CapEx and OpEx support is key to deploying technologies even at high TRLs as firms highlighted hypothecating UK ETS revenues could unlock investment, while output-based mechanisms like Contracts for Benefits (CfBs) could incentivise verified emissions reduction with guaranteed revenue as well as OpEx and CepEX support. Firms would benefit from expert-led site support during fuel-switching, clearer regulatory guidance (e.g., NOx compliance) and reduced administrative burdens. Both sectors require stable, aligned policy environments across government and regulators, as firms making multi-million-pound investments in 15–50 year assets needing clear long-term signals.

The full policy report can be accessed below.