Idaho National Laboratory is planning to break ground in spring of 2010 on four new facilities in Idaho Falls. Creating an integrated complex, the buildings will include a research and education laboratory, a testing demonstration center, a second building for the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), and a cafeteria.
The University of California, Berkeley will break ground in June of 2010 on the 113,000-gsf Helios Research Facility West in downtown Berkeley. The 64,000-nsf project will house wet laboratories for molecular and microbial biology, fermentation, and chemical separation, as well as greenhouses, warm and cold rooms, shared instrumentation space, offices, workrooms, and conference space. Accommodating biofuels research and development, the Helios facility will house the BP-funded Energy Biosciences Institute.
The University of Maine began construction in December of 2009 on the $17.4 million Advanced Nanocomposites in Renewable Energy Lab (ARNEL) in Orono, Maine. The 30,000-sf project is being built as an addition to the Advanced Structures and Composites Center and will support materials and engineering research to develop components for the deepwater offshore wind energy industry. The project was awarded $12.4 million in stimulus funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology in January of 2010.
The University of Kentucky will begin construction in late summer of 2010 on a 36,000-sf energy research facility in Lexington. Located in the Spindletop Research Park, the project represents an expansion of the nearby Center for Applied Energy Research. The $15.8 million project was awarded $11.8 million in stimulus funding in January of 2010 by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The facility will support research into biofuels, biomass, wind, and solar energy.
The University of Kansas School of Engineering will break ground in 2010 on the $18.8 million Measurement, Materials and Sustainable Environment Center in Lawrence. Supported by $12.3 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the 36,690-sf facility will house laboratory and support space for research in biofuels, environmental science, and energy technologies. Completion is slated for spring of 2012. The facility will feature a green roof, solar shades, and reflected sunlight for illumination.
The University of Wisconsin will begin construction in mid-2010 on the $75.7 million Wisconsin Energy Institute in Madison. Designed by HOK and Potter Lawson, the 200,000-sf facility will support renewable energy research. M.A. Mortenson Co. is the general contractor for the project.
Johnson Controls is partnering with French manufacturer Saft to construct an advanced lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in Holland, Mich. Supported by $299.2 million in stimulus funding from the Department of Energy, the 127,000-sf facility will feature cleanrooms for next-generation automotive battery manufacturing. Production of battery assemblies for electric and hybrid vehicles will begin in fall of 2010 with full production capacity expected by 2013.
The University of New South Wales broke ground in December of 2009 on the $125 million Tyree Energy Technologies Building (TETB) in Sydney, Australia. The facility will support teaching and research in energy policy, market analysis, photovoltaics, nanomaterials, carbon capture and storage, and oil and gas reserves. The sustainably designed building will accommodate 300 engineering students and is slated for completion in 2012.
HelioSphera US is planning to construct a $500 million solar panel manufacturing plant in Philadelphia. Sited on 40 acres at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, the 500,000-sf facility will feature a 60,000-sf cleanroom. HelioSphera US is a subsidiary of HelioSphera, a maker of thin-film photovoltaic modules based in Athens, Greece.
Ground was broken in December of 2009 on the Wind Technology Testing Center (WTTC) in Boston. Operated in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the facility will be the first in the nation capable of testing blades up to 90 meters long. The research and development center will support testing of commercial wind turbine blades to improve design and reduce cost. The project is supported by $25 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, as well as $28.5 million in additional funding.
The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) will construct a testing lab in Morgantown, W.V. Supported by $14 million in stimulus funding, the 35,000-sf Performance Verification Laboratory will accommodate the testing of appliances to determine if they meet Department of Energy (DOE) efficiency standards. Featuring controlled environments with consistent room temperatures, the Morgantown facility will be one of eight new research and testing facilities nationwide. Laboratory planning will commence in December of 2009 with completion expected by September of 2013.
Clemson University will initiate construction in the first quarter of 2010 on a wind turbine research facility in Charleston, S.C. Supported by a $45 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and $53 million in matching funds, the facility will be located at the university’s Restoration Institute at the former U.S. Naval Base. Occupancy is expected by 2012.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is providing $8 million to Argonne National Laboratory for detailed design work for a new, world-class energy research facility. This is the first step in beginning work on what is expected to be a $95 million construction project. The Energy Sciences Building (ESB) will provide an environment that will accelerate the pace of discovery by bringing together interdisciplinary teams of researchers in a space that can be adjusted to accommodate an evolving energy-related science agenda.
Hemlock Semiconductor Corp. broke ground in November of 2009 on a $1.2 billion polysilicon manufacturing plant in Clarksville, Tenn. Slated for completion in 2012, the facility will house approximately 500 employees. Polysilicon is a raw material used to make solar cells and semiconductor devices. Michigan-based Hemlock Semiconductor is a joint venture between Dow Corning Corp. and two Japanese companies, Shin-Etsu Handotai Co. and Mitsubishi Materials Corp.
Michigan State University broke ground on the $1.8 million Center for Renewable Energy Research and Technology Transfer in East Lansing in November of 2009. Providing over 6,000-sf of research space, the building will house the International Renewable Energy Technology Institute and an emissions laboratory. Completion is expected in mid-2010.
