Ceramic and glass business news of the week for October 10, 2022

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

World’s biggest flow battery opens in China

The Dalian Flow Battery Energy Storage Peak-shaving Power Station, in Dalian in northeast China, was just connected to the grid and will be operating by mid-October. The vanadium flow battery currently has a capacity of 100 MW/400 MWh, which will eventually be expanded to 200 MW/800 MWh.

Adani Green Energy commissions world’s largest wind–solar hybrid plant in India

Adani Green Energy commissioned a 600 MW wind–solar hybrid power plant in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The plant will supply electricity under 25-year power purchase agreements with Solar Energy Corp. of India at a rate of INR 2.69/kWh.

Poland’s largest solar plant goes online

German developer Goldbeck Solar switched on a 204 MW solar plant in Zwartowo, northern Poland. The project is the first phase of a 290 MW scheme that includes another 86 MW facility.

Ardagh to construct solar plants at Netherlands glass production sites

Ardagh Group and its renewable energy partners Eneco and Zoncoalitie started construction for three on-site solar projects in the Netherlands. The solar installations will supply renewable on-site generated electricity to Ardagh’s Dongen and Moerdijk glass facilities as well as its Oss metals facility.

New $25M beneficiation plant to boost glass recycling in South Australia

Sustainable packaging manufacturer Orora commenced operation of its new $25 million glass beneficiation plant in Kingsford, which will significantly increase South Australia’s glass recycling capacity. The new plant will process up to 150,000 tonnes each year.

STMicroelectronics to build integrated SiC substrate manufacturing facility in Italy

STMicroelectronics will build an integrated silicon carbide substrate manufacturing facility in Italy to support the increasing demand from ST’s customers for SiC devices across automotive and industrial applications. Production is expected to start in 2023.

IBM announces $20 billion investment to develop and manufacture computer chips in NY

IBM announced a plan to invest $20 billion across the Hudson Valley region over the next 10 years. The goal of the investments, which will be strengthened by close collaboration with New York State, is to unlock new discoveries and opportunities in semiconductors, computers, hybrid cloud, artificial intelligence, and quantum computers.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Lithoz acquires CerAMing, expands into third ceramic 3D printing technology

Lithoz GmbH acquired Germany-based CerAMing, patent holder of the layer-wise slurry disposition-print ceramic 3D printing process. With this acquisition, Lithoz now has a complete “all from one source portfolio” of complementary, market-relevant processes in 3D printing for advanced ceramics.

Saint-Gobain acquires minority stake in Megasol

Megasol, a European leader in building integrated photovoltaics, entered a strategic partnership with Saint-Gobain, a global company that designs, manufactures, and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. This partnership reinforces Saint-Gobain’s offering of sustainable façade solutions.

Midwest governors to establish regional hydrogen coalition

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced a partnership between six fellow governors in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to collaborate on developing a robust hydrogen market, supply chain, and workforce across the Midwest by signing the Midwest Hydrogen Coalition memorandum of understanding.

Glass decarbonization project focuses on hydrogen

The Horizon Europe project H2GLASS is a consortium of 23 partners from eight European countries. The four-year project has a €33 million budget and will focus on the use of hydrogen to decarbonize the glass manufacturing process.

SolarCycle partners with Sunrun to recycle and reuse old solar panels

California-based startup SolarCycle claims it can inexpensively extract about 95% of the high-value materials in solar panels, like silver, silicon, copper, and aluminum. Partnering with Sunrun, one of the largest solar services providers in the U.S., is allowing the barely year-old company to recycle at scale.

OTHER STORIES

Abrasive Technology announces new CEO

Abrasive Technology, LLC, a developer and manufacturer of superabrasive products for the dental, aerospace, medical, and industrial end markets, announced Clement Wiekrykas as their new chief executive officer. Prior to joining Abrasive Technology, Wiekrykas served as president of E.A. Patten, an aeroengine component manufacturing business.

Ambiq’s VP of branding, marketing, and investor relations is finalist for business award

Ambiq’s vice president of branding, marketing, and investor relations Charlene Wan was named a finalist in the Female Thought Leader of the Year category in the 19^th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

White House unveils new AI Bill of Rights

President Joe Biden unveiled a new AI Bill of Rights, which outlines five protections Americans should have in the AI age. However, critics say the plan lacks teeth and the U.S. needs even tougher regulation around AI.

Egyptian business delegation explores export opportunities in Kenya

A delegation from the Export Council for Chemical Industries and Fertilizers and the Export Council for Building Materials, Refractories, Metal Industries, Construction, and Building, in cooperation with the Egyptian Trade Representative Authority, headed on a trade mission to Kenya to promote Egyptian products.

Şişecam launches sustainability website

Şişecam launched the CareforNext micro website to inform stakeholders about all its actions on sustainability. The platform includes details of the CareforNext approach and information about Şişecam’s recyclable, value-added, advanced technology products developed with a focus on sustainability.

MARKET TRENDS

Report: Composite 3D printing technologies are on cusp of mainstream production

A Ricoh 3D report on disruptive 3D printing technologies claims the advent of new “long-fiber” technology looks set to disrupt the composite-based additive manufacturing industry and pave the way for widespread adoption.

NEW PRODUCTS

Rigaku announces XSPA-400 ER detector for general-purpose X-ray diffractometers

Rigaku Corporation launched their new XSPA-400 ER detector to the global market. The XSPA-400ER is a seamless pixel multidimensional detector for X-ray diffractometers with high energy resolution suited to battery, steel, and ceramic analysis.

BASF introduces X3D, a revolutionary catalyst shaping technology

BASF introduces the novel X3D technology, a new additive manufacturing technology for catalysts. Catalysts produced with this technology feature an open structure, resulting in a reduction of the pressure drop across the reactor and a high surface area, significantly improving the catalysts’ performance.