Ceramic and glass business news of the week for May 20, 2024

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Italy curbs installation of solar panels on agricultural land

Italy’s rightwing coalition passed rules curbing the installation of solar panels on agricultural land. The new rules, part of a broader package of measures to protect farming and fisheries, included a ban on the installation of photovoltaic systems with modules placed on the ground in areas classified as agricultural.

BayWa r.e. and Elicio to build 270-MW floating wind farm in France

BayWa r.e., the renewables arm of Germany-based BayWa, and Belgian developer Elicio have secured a contract to build a 270-MW floating offshore wind farm off the coast of Lorient in Brittany, France. The Pennavel project is projected to produce 30% of the region’s current renewable energy output.

World’s largest concrete thermal energy storage pilot successfully tested

EPRI, in collaboration with Southern Company and Storworks, completed testing of a pilot concrete thermal energy storage system at Alabama Power’s Ernest C. Gaston Electric Generating plant, marking the largest such pilot in the world.

Seven North American battery factory projects since 2023

A Battery Technology article looks at seven of the most notable battery manufacturing projects in North America that have been announced since 2023.

DOE announces $160 million for new microelectronics research centers

The Department of Energy opened applications for up to $160 million in funding to create Microelectronics Science Research Centers. DOE plans to issue clusters of awards that will collectively form centers focused on increasing the energy efficiency of microelectronics technologies or their ability to function in extreme environments.

University of Oxford to lead Sustainable Chemicals and Materials Manufacturing Hub

The University of Oxford is leading a major U.K. government investment in research to improve sustainability of chemical and polymer production. The Sustainable Chemicals and Materials Manufacturing Hub will bring together researchers from across the U.K. working with a consortium of commercial, technology translation, and civic partners.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Béton Provincial acquires assets from CRH Canada Group in eastern North America

Béton Provincial Ltée, the largest Canadian-owned company in the concrete and cement industry, acquired various assets from CRH Canada Group Inc. located in Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the state of New York. Béton Provincial now operates one of the largest distribution networks in eastern North America.

Dow India signs carbon neutral façade agreement with Glass Wall Systems

Dow Chemical International Private Ltd. and Glass Wall Systems India signed an agreement for Dow to supply DOWSIL Facade Sealants from Dow’s Decarbia portfolio of reduced-carbon solutions for Glass Wall System’s curtain wall system.

Arkema and ProLogium collaborate on lithium ceramic battery materials for e-mobility

Arkema and ProLogium held a letter of intent exchange ceremony in Paris, deepening the collaboration that began in 2010. The new letter confirms ProLogium’s intention to establish an advanced R&D laboratory in France, home to Arkema’s flagship Battery Center of Excellence.

Goodwill collaborative launches sustainability initiative to turn unsellable glass into sand

Goodwill organizations from Maryland; Washington, D.C.; and Delaware announced a collaboration to invest in glass pulverizers to convert unsellable glass into sand. This program will create significant employment opportunities by training and upskilling 1,500 individuals among the three collaborating organizations by the end of 2024.

OTHER STORIES

Penn State research center offers industry practicum on additive manufacturing

The Penn State Center for Innovative Materials Processing through Direct Digital Deposition is now accepting registrations online for a three-day additive manufacturing practicum aimed at industry members and academics. The workshop will begin on Tuesday, July 30, and run through Thursday, Aug. 1.

NCMS announces winners of the 2024 CTMA Technology Competition

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences announced the winners of the 2024 Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities Technology Competition, which identifies the most innovative maintenance and sustainment technologies. This year’s overall award winner is Boston Engineering Corp.’s sustainment-assisting robotics.

US energy panel approves rule to expand transmission of renewable power

Federal energy regulators approved a long-awaited rule to make it easier to transmit renewable energy to the electric grid. The rule, under development for two years, is aimed at boosting the nation’s aging power grid to meet surging demand fueled by data centers, electrification of vehicles and buildings, artificial intelligence, and other uses.

India’s ceramic hub concerned about US manufacturers seeking anti-dumping duty

Efforts by U.S. tile manufacturers to seek 400–800% anti-dumping duty on Indian tiles and wall tiles could severely hurt the tile industry in Morbi, India’s ceramic hub, according to Indian industry leaders.

MARKET TRENDS

US to impose 25% import tariffs on Chinese rare earth magnets in 2026

The U.S. government announced new Section 301 import tariffs on a range of Chinese products and materials, including a 25% tariff on permanent magnets beginning in 2026. There have been numerous Section 301 tariffs since the start of the U.S.–China trade and technology war in 2018, but none have included rare earth magnets or materials.

Wyoming’s rare earths industry may see boost from Chinese tariffs on imports

Wyoming’s burgeoning rare earths industry may have received a big boost by the federal government with the announcement of $18 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods. The tariffs will affect minerals of which Wyoming has a big abundance.

NEW PRODUCTS

US DOE selects Principle Power, Aker Solutions to advance floating wind design

Principle Power and Aker Solutions were chosen as a winner for the second phase of the U.S. Floating Offshore Wind Readiness Prize by the Department of Energy. The award consists of a $450,000 cash prize and $100,000 in technical assistance from the DOE National Labs.

Honeywell uses ceramic 3D printing from Prodways for its jet engines

Honeywell is using the ProMaker Ceram Pro 365 system to create 3D-printed ceramic molds for turbine blade fabrication. The additive manufacturing process cuts the time to produce prototype turbine blades from 1–2 years down to just 7–8 weeks.