Tradeline, Inc. filters and categorizes new-construction and industry news from regional and professional journals across the country. Here you will find new projects, products, and regulatory updates.
Industry News
United Solar Ovonic Builds Battle Creek Plant
United Solar Ovonic began construction in fall of 2008 on a $220 million solar cell manufacturing facility in Battle Creek, Mich. Located in the Fort Custer Industrial Park, the 265,000-sf building is slated for completion by year-end 2009. United Solar Ovonic is a subsidiary of photovoltaics developer Energy Conversion Devices of Detroit.
University of Central Florida Dedicates Siemens Energy Center
The University of Central Florida dedicated the $850,000 Siemens Energy Center in Orlando in October of 2008. Created in partnership with Siemens Power Generation, the 10,900-sf laboratory will provide collaborative research space for UCF and Siemens to develop sustainable power generation technologies. Construction on the facility began in January of 2008.
University of Illinois Dedicates Expanded Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory
The University of Illinois dedicated the newly renovated and expanded Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MNTL) in Urbana-Champaign on September 4, 2008. The $18 million project created additional laboratory, classroom, research, and meeting facilities. The expansion will support research for the National Science Foundation-funded Center for Compound Semiconductor Microelectronics. The MNTL houses research laboratories for micro and nanoelectronics, nanophotonics and optoelectronics, nanomedicine and bionanotechnology, MEMS/NEMS, and integrated systems research.
DuPont Partners with University of Tennessee on Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol is partnering with the University of Tennessee Research Foundation to build a cellulosic ethanol R&D facility and pilot-scale biorefinery in Vonore, Tenn. Developing the commercial package for DDCE’s cellulosic ethanol technology, the plant includes a process development unit (PDU). Sited in the Niles Ferry Industrial Park, the facility will utilize corn stover and switchgrass, two non-food biomass feedstocks, to produce 250,000 gallons of cellulosic ethanol annually.
NATCO Builds Houston R&D Center
NATCO broke ground in July of 2008 on its new research and development center in Houston. The 30,000-sf facility will accommodate the development of process solutions for large scale pilot plants as well as providing laboratory services and computer and scale modeling. Featuring technology demonstration areas, training facilities, and conference rooms, the facility will support NATCO’s oil and gas industry technologies.