The Small Aspect Ratio Tokamak, or SMART, produced its first plasma. This tokamak, constructed at the University of Sevilla in Spain, is the world’s only fusion reactor with “negative triangularity,” which reduces how much the plasma interacts with the plasma-facing material surfaces of the tokamak.
Simpson University commenced construction on its new Business, Technology, and Engineering building, using low-carbon cement. The university partnered with Fortera Global and Shasta Red-Mix for the facility’s foundational concrete pour.
INOX Air Products announced the successful commissioning of its first-ever green hydrogen manufacturing plant at Asahi India Glass Limited’s greenfield float glass facility at Soniyana in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. This plant will be India’s first instance of use of green hydrogen in the float glass manufacturing process.
O-I Glass, Inc. and Linde plan to install Linde’s proprietary OPTIMELTTM thermochemical regenerator technology at O-I’s container glass plant in Holzminden, Germany. This collaboration is expected to significantly reduce both fuel consumption and fuel-based Scope 1 carbon dioxide emissions for O-I.
Siemens Digital Industries Software is collaborating with the University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation to increase industrial adoption of additive manufacturing and prepare the next-generation workforce by creating a new open online course called “Introduction to 3D Printing with Metals.”
Indonesia and France reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s planned state visit to Indonesia in May 2025. The key areas of cooperation include energy transition, food security, defense, digital transformation, and cultural relations.
Holcim US was named a winner of a NRMCA Concrete Innovations Award for its participation in the Lower Carbon Content Concrete Pavement MnROAD project. The project included four low carbon content concrete pavement studies between 2021 and 2024, which aimed to gather structural response and performance data on samples subject to live interstate traffic.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is releasing some funding for grants that helped farms and other businesses in New Hampshire build solar arrays and other small renewable energy systems. Residents using these grants were thrown into uncertainty earlier this year when the Trump Administration announced it would freeze spending on climate-related programs.
The European Union published its first list of strategic projects strengthening the local extraction, processing, and recycling of 14 of the 17 materials it deems critical for its energy transition and security. The selection of the 47 projects mark a key step in implementing the Critical Raw Materials Act, which sets targets for 2030.
The Metals Company, a Canadian startup, says it will seek approval this year to launch the world’s first deep-sea mine in the eastern Pacific Ocean, by working with one of the few countries that never joined the International Seabed Authority: the United States.
Data-driven refractory solutions company PaneraTech found many engineers who are hired to optimize furnace operations are instead responding to constant emergencies. This “firefighting” mentality is discouraging and leads them to seek new opportunities. PaneraTech believes digitalization, combined with expert human guidance, can help to break this cycle.
With the promise of newer, cheaper nuclear power on the horizon, U.S. states are vying to position themselves to build and supply the industry’s next generation as policymakers consider expanding subsidies and paving over regulatory obstacles.
Equal1, a spin-off company from the University College Dublin in Ireland, unveiled the world’s first silicon-based quantum computer at a conference in California. Dubbed Bell-1, the quantum computer weighs a mere 440 pounds (200 kgs) and can be plugged into a regular electrical socket.
Calderys launched CALDE GUARD, a state-of-the-art concept for improving foundry furnaces’ lifespan and efficiency. The concept pairs a product—boron-free silica-based lining and a precast top ring—and its manufacture, installation, service, and after-care.
Viridian Solar, a U.K.-based manufacturer of building-integrated photovoltaic panels, announced a new 445 W n-type TOPCon module. The 54-cell PV16-445AG-M10 module measures 1,885 mm x 1,134 x 70 mm and features a power conversion efficiency of 23.6%. It is compatible with the company’s existing M10 roofing kits.
Fiber-based materials producer Ahlstrom launched a new Absorbent Glass Mat battery separator platform. The new flexible platform allows customization from 100% micro glass to advanced micro glass–synthetic fiber blends.
