Ceramic and glass business news of the week for January 29, 2024

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

TSMC delaying US chip plant startups

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is delaying the production start at the second of two manufacturing plants it is building in Arizona. This plant was scheduled to begin production of 3-nm-based advanced semiconductor chips in 2026, which has now been pushed back to 2027 or 2028.

Enel builds 2.7-MW solar + storage project at Bayer research site in California

Enel North America completed a 2.7-MW solar and 1-MW/2-MWh energy storage system at Bayer’s vegetable research and development site in Woodland, Calif. Located in a region historically prone to rolling blackouts and grid disruptions, the solar + storage system will help increase Bayer’s energy and operational resilience.

Swiss canton outfits roadside retaining wall with vertical solar panels

In the northeastern Swiss canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, officials decided to try outfitting a roadside retaining wall with vertical solar panels. The installation took place in 2021, and the system now produces enough electricity for about 52 households annually.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Messe Düsseldorf and and Deutsche Messe pool their expertise on the Turkish market

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH and Deutsche Messe AG in Hanover will each hold a 50% stake in the joint venture “Hannover Messe Ankiros Fuarcılık A.S.” in Ankara, which organizes ANKIROS/TURKCAST, a trade fair for the metallurgy and foundry industries, and ALUEXPO, the largest aluminum trade fair for the Eurasian region.

ReElement Technologies uses Purdue tech in rare earth elements production

In 2021, ReElement Technologies acquired Purdue University’s rare earth element and critical materials purification patent, beginning a partnership with Purdue to develop and commercialize rare earth and critical materials separation and purification technology.

EPB and ORNL to collaborate on energy resilience, quantum technology

Building on $180 million in joint energy-related research, telecommunications company EPB and Oak Ridge National Laboratory marked 10 years of collaboration with the announcement of the new Collaborative for Energy Resilience and Quantum Science.

OTHER STORIES

Calderys to play key role in the green hydrogen reheating revolution

Calderys announced its participation in HYDREAMS, a project coordinated by French firm UGITECH, part of the Swiss Steel Group. HYDREAMS aims to remove carbon emissions from steel treatment thermal processes by using green hydrogen made from renewable energy sources.

ROSEN report: Repurposing natural gas infrastructure for hydrogen

The ROSEN Group developed a research report commissioned by the Energy Institute to identify current knowledge gaps regarding repurposing natural gas infrastructure for hydrogen. The report is based on a literature review of all ongoing technical work, joint industry projects, and research in this field worldwide.

Silicon Valley eyes reboot of Google Glass-style headsets

Silicon Valley’s search for a consumer device to succeed the smartphone has revived an idea that crashed and burnt almost a decade ago: Google Glass-style headsets. The difference this time is that the new wave of smart glasses, led by Meta’s Ray-Bans, are infused with artificial intelligence.

MARKET TRENDS

China is moving up the rare earth value chain—the West is trying to catch up

Chinese firm Shenghe Resources recently acquired the entire stockpile at Canada’s first and only operating rare earth mine, plus bought a 9.9% stake in Vital Metals, the Australian company that owns the project. This example shows how China seeks to import upstream products from the West and then export value-added products back to these countries.

Saudi Arabia fast tracks efforts to become leader of minerals ‘super region’

Saudi Arabia is speeding up efforts to position itself as the major player in the minerals “super region” and reduce its dependency on oil as part of its Vision 2030 program.

As US builds LNG terminals, Europe reduces gas demand and diversifies energy sources

European gas demand is expected to continue its downward trend during the rest of this decade, thanks in part to renewables deployment, energy efficiency programmes, and demand management and destruction. Meanwhile, the United States is continuing its construction of more liquified natural gas terminals.

Clean sources of generation to cover world’s extra electricity demand over next three years

Global electricity demand is expected to grow at a faster rate over the next three years as the clean energy transition gathers speed, with all the additional demand forecast to be covered by technologies that produce low-emissions electricity, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency.

NEW PRODUCTS

Morrow, Novacel Optical partner in preparation of eProgressive smart glasses launch

Belgian-based vision technology firm Morrow and French lens manufacturer Novacel Optical entered a strategic distribution partnership for the launch of Morrow’s eProgressive smart glasses, which are designed to enhance vision with switchable lens technology. The glasses will be available to consumers in the second quarter of the 2024 fiscal year.

Tiama expands multiproduct offering for its HOT glass manufacturing range

Monitoring solutions supplier Tiama expanded the multiproduct management on its range of HOT glass manufacturing systems.