Corning Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. started construction on a significant expansion of Corning’s optical cable manufacturing capacity in Hickory, N.C., reinforcing their collaboration to support the buildout of advanced artificial intelligence data centers using technology developed and manufactured in the United States.
US Modules’ first production line in College Station, Texas, can produce 400 MW of utility-scale solar panels annually. A second line should be commissioned by summer 2026, and the 150,000-sq.-ft. facility could scale to 1.4 GW annually.
TSMC is expected to launch equipment installation and mass production of 3-nanometer wafers in 2028 at its second factory in Japan, according to a Taiwanese government filing. TSMC first established its Japan unit, Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing, in 2021 with support from Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation.
Vidrala completed the acquisition of Chile-located glass manufacturer Cristalerías Toro for €75 million. The Spanish headquartered industrial group had been providing technical assistance to Cristalerías Toro for several years.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory and General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems signed a memorandum of understanding to explore manufacturing of extreme environment materials with energy and national security applications. The agreement establishes a framework for collaborating on advanced composite materials, including silicon carbide.
The Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between Argonne National Laboratory and Aclara Resources centers on developing an artificial intelligence-enabled digital twin for heavy rare earth separation.
Airbus and composite material recycling startup Fairmat signed a contract to explore how to recover carbon fibers from dismantled airframes and reuse them in aeronautical construction. The joint effort will focus on the A350 widebody, a program that has not yet reached the aircraft retirement stage.
The International Conference on Nuclear Energy, held in Nairobi, Kenya, from March 24–26, 2026, brought together representatives from African governments, nuclear regulators, technical experts, academia, development partners, and international organizations to discuss the role of nuclear energy in supporting Africa’s clean energy transition.
Industry Strategy Symposium Europe was held in Poland for the second time from March 11–13, 2026. Poland—and particularly the Pomerania region—is emerging as one of the fastest-growing technology hubs in Central Europe.
Mexico’s mining sector is positioning itself to reduce dependence on China for mineral processing and supply chains, with the USMCA framework and a bilateral cooperation agreement with the United States serving as the primary vehicles for that shift.
In February 2026, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a civil lawsuit against Global Fiberglass Solutions, the recycling company that left wind-turbine blades in the town of Sweetwater. Four people have been indicted for illegal dumping and theft of property.
Countries that lead in the development of energy technologies do not simply export products. They shape standards, capture value chains, influence alliances, and reinforce strategic autonomy. One revealing, if imperfect, indicator of this future positioning is patenting.
Robust data from quality assurance provider Intertek CEA’s new manufacturing quality report reveals the most common—and the most critical—worldwide manufacturing defects in global photovoltaic manufacturing facilities. The data is drawn from more than 80,000 inspections across more than 340 factories globally.
