PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Australia’s first grid-scale vanadium flow battery to be built in South Australia

Australia’s first utility-scale vanadium flow battery is to be built in South Australia to demonstrate the potential of this energy storage technology on the national grid. The $20.3 million project, which is being developed by Yadlamalka Energy, will colocate a 2MW/8MWh vanadium flow battery with a 6MW solar array at the Neuroodla electricity substation.

American Resources kicks off operations at its Perry County mining site

American Resources Corporation announced that it kicked off operations at its Perry County Resources complex in Kentucky. The company says the restart of operations at the complex comes after a year of implementing a methodical restructuring and in response to “increased demand for raw materials for steel and infrastructure projects.”

Glaston wins order for three insulating glass lines

Glaston Group closed a deal for three insulating glass lines with one of the leading architectural glass suppliers in China, CSG Holding Ltd. The total order, valued at close to EUR 2.5 million, includes insulating glass manufacturing equipment from Glaston’s technology centers in Germany and China. The lines will be delivered and installed during second quarter of 2021.

Kyocera to construct new R&D center in Kirishima City, Kagoshima, Japan

Kyocera Corporation announced it will begin construction of a new research and development center in January 2021 at its Kokubu campus in Kirishima City, Kagoshima, Japan. The center will focus on new innovations in the fields of information and communications, environmental preservation, and smart energy.

Greenland initiates permitting consultation on massive Kvanefjeld project

The Government of Greenland initiated public consultation on the proposed Greenland Minerals’ Kvanefjeld rare earths and uranium mine project. Kvanefjeld is a large-scale project with the potential to become one of the most significant western world producers of rare earths and uranium. The consultation period ends on March 12, 2021.


ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

BayWa to sell 49% of renewable unit to fund EIP for $642 million

German agriculture group BayWa agreed to sell 49% of its renewable division to Energy Infrastructure Partners AG for 530 million euros (US$642 million), sending its shares to their highest level in nearly three years.

Sydney University, General Electric to accelerate Australia’s advanced manufacturing agenda

GE Additive, a subsidiary of General Electric, and the University of Sydney entered into a strategic five-year agreement to advance Australia’s manufacturing capability. The agreement will establish capabilities in metal additive manufacturing at the Sydney Manufacturing Hub.


OTHER STORIES

BioSolar launches green hydrogen technology venture

BioSolar, Inc. announced that it formed a wholly owned subsidiary, NewHydrogen, Inc., to develop an electrolyzer technology to lower the cost of green hydrogen. This program will run parallel and complementary to the company’s existing lithium-ion technology development targeting the high-growth battery electric vehicle sector.

Energy Fuels set to become rare earth producer in 2021

Energy Fuels entered into a three-year supply agreement with The Chemours Company to acquire a minimum of 2,500 tonnes per year of natural monazite sands, one of the highest-grade rare earth element minerals in the world. The company expects to process this monazite at its 100%-owned White Mesa Mill in Utah starting in Q1-2021.

PE firm Convergent Finance invests $27 mn in Borosil Renewables

Borosil Renewables Ltd, the only Indian manufacturer of solar glass used in photovoltaic panels, raised Rs200 crore from Convergent Finance LLP and other investors. The proceeds will be used to expand the company’s production capacities at Bharuch, Gujarat.

Ceratizit wins innovation award for the additive manufacturing of carbide parts

The Ceratizit Group won the 2020 Innovation Award of the FEDIL business federation in the “Process” category for the development of a new process for the additive manufacturing of tungsten carbide-cobalt.

SDSU moving forward to offer bachelor’s degree in concrete industry management

South Dakota State University’s Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering will soon offer a bachelor’s degree in concrete industry management. The degree announcement comes after the CIM National Steering Committee and the North Central Region patrons selected SDSU after an approximate six-month selection process.

Battery recycling prize announces Phase II winners

The U.S. Department of Energy announced the seven Phase II winners of the Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize. The phased competition is designed to help find innovative solutions to collecting, storing, and transporting discarded lithium-ion batteries for eventual recycling.

DOE announces $45 million in funding for solar technologies

The U.S. Department of Energy announced up to $45 million for research to advance solar hardware and systems integration, including the creation of a consortium dedicated to developing control technologies for a modernized electric grid.


MARKET TRENDS

Study: U.S. solar industry surges despite pandemic fallout

U.S. solar installations are expected to soar 43% this year, just shy of a pre-pandemic forecast, as the industry has recovered more quickly than expected from a virus-related slowdown, according to a report by the top solar trade group.

Industry brief: China wants to loosen restrictions on PV glass

The Chinese government is planning to loosen existing restrictions on new investments in additional photovoltaic glass production capacity, according to a document published by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Under the new provisions, all new projects intending to add glass capacity will not have to submit capacity replacement plans.


NEW PRODUCTS

New NIST fire calorimetry database is available

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s National Fire Research Laboratory released the Fire Calorimetry Database, which provides the public with open access to a living database of real-scale fire experiment calorimetry results.

Author

Lisa McDonald