Reported power consumption for all-electric glass-melting furnaces range from
790 kWh per ton up to 1,050 kWh per ton depending on the efficiency of the
furnace. Therefore, energy costs can range from about $40 per ton to $53 per ton
of glass melted at an average cost of electricity of $0.05 per kWh.
In comparison, fuel-fired regenerative furnaces used for glass-melting consume an estimated 4.5 to 7.5 million Btus per ton of glass melted. Energy costs for fuel-fired furnaces therefore cost about $13.50 per ton to $22.50 per ton (assuming $3.00 per million Btu for natural gas).
