First Evening Event of the Glas 2.0 Network – Topic: Electrification of Glass Studio Furnaces

July 23, 2026

Last week, glass artists and craftspeople gathered for a brief evening event at the Gründerwerkstatt Glas in Zwiesel to discuss the electrification of glass studio furnaces. The focus was on current developments among manufacturers, as well as technical and economic challenges. In addition to the relatively high investment costs, other issues such as energy and replacement part costs are key considerations. Depending on the type of glass used and operating conditions, this can lead to rapid wear and tear on the equipment, a factor that must be taken into account during the purchasing process. Glass compositions may also need to be adjusted to ensure that existing products and color palettes can be reliably reproduced.

In this context, collaboration on application-oriented research and development is a crucial step. To this end, discussions were held with representatives from the Spiegelau Technology User Center regarding the possibility of using furnace facilities available at the research center to address precisely these issues.
Funding opportunities for the transition to electric systems were also presented and discussed.

Participants took the opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss open questions regarding the sustainable transformation of glass studios. The event clearly demonstrated the high level of interest in practical information and networking within the industry, a trend that is set to continue.

The meeting also marked the kickoff of a planned series of short evening events at the Gründerwerkstatt. In the future, various topics related to glass art and craftsmanship and their future development will be addressed at regular intervals and presented and discussed in a compact format. The goal is to promote professional exchange and provide new impetus for the industry.

Information on upcoming dates will be published in advance on the Netzwerk Glas 2.0 website.