The U.S. glass industry has made significant improvements in energy efficiency over the past two decades. Much of the achieved efficiency improvement is the result of improvements in the glassmaking process, as well as conversion of glass furnaces from electricity to natural gas. Additionally, oxy-fuel furnaces now account for about 20-25% of all glass furnaces and use considerably less natural gas fuel; these reductions, however, are offset by the energy required to produce the oxygen used in an oxy-fuel furnace. [Ross 1999]

As the available energy consumption data for "glass" over the period from 1985 to 1998 draws from different sets of industries and often is not disaggregated similarly in different years, an energy intensity chart is not included here.

Source: MECS 1985, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1998

NOTE: 1985 and 1988 data are for SIC 32 (Stone, Clay & Glass Products); 1998 value is for NAICS 3272 (Glass & Glass Products)

Energy Purchases for Heat and Power 1992 – 2001
(Percent of Shipments)

Source: DOC 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001