Industry News

Solexant Corp. will develop a $108 million photovoltaic manufacturing plant in Gresham, Ore. The facility will be housed in an existing 125,000-sf building and will produce ultra-thin film with nanocrystal technology. Production will begin in 2011.

Michigan State University opened the Anaerobic Digester Research and Education Center in July of 2010 in East Lansing. The 6,000-sf facility will support the development of anaerobic digestion systems for small farms to convert animal manure to energy. Consolidating four laboratories previously housed in other locations, the ADREC houses research space, conference rooms, offices, and a high bay area for pilot-scale projects. Construction began on the facility in September of 2009.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has completed construction of the $64 million Research Support Facility in Golden, Colo. The 222,000-sf facility will house 800 employees when it opens in August of 2010. Ground was broken on the project in May of 2009. LEED Platinum sustainable design certification will be sought for the zero-energy office building, which features passive heating and ventilation, daylighting, and recycled materials.

The U.S. Department of Energy will break ground in August of 2010 on the $66.8 million Interdisciplinary Science Building at Brookhaven National Lab in Upton, N.Y. The two-story facility will support research on renewable energy and nanomaterials and is supported by $18.6 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. General contractor E.W. Howell of Plainview, N.Y., will begin construction on the facility in September of 2010.

Vestas Wind Systems A/S will open a 48,000-sf research and development office in Louisville, Colo. The Technology R&D Centre will initially house 100 employees. Vestas is a manufacturer of wind turbine blades based in Randers, Denmark.