CGBN

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems opens technical center in Livonia, Michigan

Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems announced the opening of a 7,700-sq.-ft. technical center in Livonia, Michigan. The Livonia technical center will house sales, engineering, and service personnel, achieving a core initiative of Gasbarre to have qualified personnel to support the large customer base in the Midwest region.

Siemens Energy to build waste heat-to-power facility in Canada

Siemens Energy agreed with Canada-based TC Energy to commission a novel waste heat-to-power pilot installation in Alberta, Canada. The facility will be designed to capture waste heat from a gas-fired turbine operating at a pipeline compression station and convert it into emissions-free power.

Sisecam secures $30 million loan to upgrade Egyptian glass facility

Turkish glass manufacturer Sisecam secured a $30 million financial package to upgrade its Pasabahce Egypt manufacturing site from the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank. The loan will help Pasabahce Egypt upgrade its glassware production facility outside Cairo and introduce efficiencies to cut natural gas and electricity consumption.

The US military is getting 3D printing ‘factories’ inside shipping containers

The United States Department of Defense awarded a contract to additive manufacturing company ExOne to develop 3D printing mini-factories that could be deployed into the field during a military operation. The factories are essentially complete 3D printing labs that can be housed entirely within a shipping container.


ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Cemex acquires concrete business in San Antonio with eye on US growth

Mexican cement producer Cemex acquired a concrete business in San Antonio, Texas, as it looks to expand in the United States. The acquisition of Beck Readymix Concrete Co. LTD includes three ready-mix concrete plants and one portable plant.

American Resources signs exclusive licensing agreement with Ohio University

American Resources signed exclusive licenses for rare earth mineral processing and graphene patents from Ohio University. The licensed suite of technologies is centered around the use of electrolysis for the separation and processing of carbon, coal waste, and carbon byproducts, including fly ash as a feedstock.

Tokamak Energy, Paul Scherrer Institute sign agreement for HTS magnet technology

Tokamak Energy entered a collaboration and license agreement with the Paul Scherrer Institute for the use of Tokamak Energy’s proprietary noninsulated high temperature superconducting magnet technology for use in the Institute’s accelerator and beam line applications.

Lightsource BP swoops on 845MW Spanish solar portfolio

Lightsource BP acquired an 845MW solar portfolio in Spain from Iberia Solar. The two companies will work in partnership to bring the project pipeline, which consists of five sites across the regions of Castilla la Mancha and Castilla y Leon, to ready-to-build status. Lightsource BP will then lead the projects to financial close and begin construction in 2022.

Baker Hughes, WINA form partnership to offer customers 3D printing services

Energy technology firm Baker Hughes Co. and supply-chain solutions provider Würth Industry North America announced a 3D printing partnership that they hope will benefit both themselves and customers from a range of industries.

USA Rare Earth, Source Certain International partner to launch transparent supply chain

USA Rare Earth LLC partnered with Source Certain International to develop a transparent, traceable, and trusted supply chain for its rare earth and lithium products. The new program will enable verification of provenance for all USA Rare Earth products.

University of Birmingham, Bentley Motors, others partner on rare-earth recycling project

The University of Birmingham is working with Bentley Motors and others on a three-year research project to deliver a sustainable source of rare earth magnets for electric and hybrid vehicles. The £2.6-million (US$3.6-million) project is funded by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

TSMC could soon make Apple’s AR dreams a reality

Apple is partnering with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing to produce micro OLED displays for its long-rumored augmented reality devices at a secretive facility in Taiwan, according to Nikkei Asia Review. The announcement is surprising since TSMC mainly manufactures semiconductors on silicon wafers instead of display panels on glass substrates.


OTHER STORIES

Free online event: Frank Scott Russell Memorial Lecture

The Frank Scott Russell Memorial Lecture on March 3 at 5:30 a.m. Eastern will kick off the 2021 events program from the Ceramics Innovation Network. Speakers are refractory specialist Jan Theron, giving the lecture “From Toffee Bond to Ceramic Bond,” and professor Ian Reaney, providing an update on the Transforming Foundation Industries Network+ initiative.

Release of ACI Collection of Concrete Codes, Specifications, and Practices

The American Concrete Institute has released the 2021 ACI Collection of Concrete Codes, Specifications, and Practices. The ACI Collection is the most comprehensive and largest single source of information on concrete design, construction, materials, and repair, with nearly 50 codes and specifications and more than 200 practices.

Goodfellow announces expansion of Green Production Initiative

Goodfellow announced an expansion of their Green Production initiative, which promotes the use of environmentally sound products and processes. Materials that are part of the expanded initiative include those that are bio-based, biodegradable, and/or nontoxic as well as those that are renewable, recyclable, and designed to save energy through innovative design.

Power-sharing rules spark big Senate Appropriations realignment

U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee leaders announced subcommittee leaders and membership for the 117th Congress. Big changes in Democratic leadership took place due to a new power-sharing rule that prevents chairs of “A” committees from picking subcommittee leadership spots until all the committee’s Democrats have a chance to pick up a gavel.

White House advances ‘ARPA-Climate’ concept

The White House (U.S.) announced it has created an interagency “Climate Innovation Working Group” to advance President Biden’s campaign proposal to establish a “cross-agency” Advanced Research Projects Agency focused on mitigating climate change, or ARPA–C.


MARKET TRENDS

Floating solar panels on 1% of reservoirs ‘could double’ Africa’s hydropower capacity

In a new open-access study, researchers suggest solar panels floating on the lakes formed by Africa’s hydropower dams could be a major new source of power. If these panels covered just 1% of reservoirs, this alone could double African hydropower capacity and increase electricity generation from dams by 50%.

Bendable concrete, other CO2-infused cement mixes could dramatically cut global emissions

An article on The Conversation discusses how developing new kinds of concrete can help start addressing concrete infrastructure’s carbon footprint, though other barriers will still need to be addressed as well.

Aging offshore wind turbines could stunt growth of renewable energy sector

The University of Kent led a study highlighting the urgent need for the United Kingdom to give vital attention to decommissioning offshore wind turbines approaching their end of life expectancy by 2025. The research says the U.K. must decommission approximately 300 and 1,600 early-model offshore wind turbines by 2025 and 2030, respectively.

Jaguar says all its cars will be electric in just four years

British Automaker Jaguar Land Rover Limited announced that it’s making an ambitious transition away from gas-burning cars to go almost entirely electric in the future. Most prominently, the entire Jaguar brand will go entirely electric within the next four years, and the company will start to launch all-electric Land Rover SUV models in 2024.


NEW PRODUCTS

Dürr Megtec introduces ‘next generation’ wet electrostatic precipitator

Dürr Megtec released its “next generation” wet electrostatic precipitator, an air pollution control system that cleans industrial gases of fine particulate matter, acid mists, and aerosols to meet global environmental regulations and protect downstream equipment. Key improvements include decreased maintenance, enhanced performance, and faster installation times.

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