3D Printing

• [New] There has been a ten-times reduction in the cost of solar panels since 2007 and an additional three times reduction is anticipated in the next twenty years.
• [New] The UK has ordered an additional 10 million doses of the mRNA vaccine developed by US company Moderna, on top of 7 million which it pre-ordered last year, but supplies for the additional doses are not expected to arrive until spring.
• [New] Following identification of a new variant of coronavirus in Brazil, the Scottish Government will impose additional restrictions on all arrivals from South America, as well as several countries with strong travel links to affected countries.
• [New] The European wind and solar markets are expected to provide solid growth of 8% and 13% in 2021 in terms of capacity additions, which require €90 billion of investment.
• [New] Egypt will finish implementing 100,000 housing units during fiscal year of 2020/2021, in addition to planning to finish implementing 105,000 units in 2021/2022, Minister of Finance Mohamed Ma' it said in July.
• [New] EIA forecast additions of 15 GW of solar photovoltaic generating capacity in 2021, buoyed by declining prices for PAV modules and increasing prices for natural gas.
• [New] The prototype of Apple AR / VR glasses is expected to appear at the end of 2021, while the mass production plan will be postponed to the beginning of 2022.
• [New] The California-based company expects to perform the first suborbital tests of a prototype of its centrifugal system for launching small satellites later in 2021 from New Mexico.
• [New] The City of London Corporation aims to deliver two additional last mile logistics hubs by 2022 and is aiming for a total of five by 2025.
• [New] In Terms of Propylene Capacity Additions' reveals that China accounts for the highest capacity additions with a capacity of 29.53 million tpy by 2030.
• [New] GlobalData identifies India as the second highest country in terms of polypropylene capacity additions, with capacity of 7.69 million tpy by 2030.
• [New] Iran will be the third highest country in terms of capacity additions, with capacity of 2.98 million tpy by 2030.
• [New] As business support is a devolved policy, central government will provide £375m in additional funding to the Scottish Government, £227m to the Welsh Government and £127m to the Northern Ireland Executive.
• [New] EIA expects the capacity of utility-scale battery storage to more than quadruple; 4.3 GW of battery power capacity additions are slated to come online by the end of 2021.
• [New] EIA's Short-Term Energy Outlook forecasts an additional 4.1 GW of small-scale solar PV capacity to enter service by the end of 2021.
• Through an additional investment of $22.8 million over five years (2019-20 to 2023-24), the Canada Book Fund has undertaken an initiative to support the sustainable production and distribution of accessible digital books that can be used by all Canadians, including persons with print disabilities.
• 2021 will see Rocket Lab launch a Photon mission to the Moon in support of NASA's CAPSTONE program, and also launch the first missions from Rocket Lab's two additional launch pads - Launch Complex 2 in Wallops, Virginia, and the new Pad B at Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.
• Climate change will cause an additional 250,000 deaths per year between 2030-2050, at a cost of two to four billion dollars a year.
• Later in 2021, the MTA will begin selling OMNY tap-to-pay cards - an important addition since not all riders have a smartphone or credit card.
• Britain's food and drink industry alone could face an additional 3bn pounds ($4bn) of extra costs a year from increased bureaucracy, the group estimates.
• Later in 2021, the MTA will begin selling tap-to-pay cards that can be used in place of a phone - an important addition since not all riders own a smartphone.
• Despite the fallout expected from its split with the UK over coming year, the Eurozone's restored ties with the US under a friendlier Biden Administration could further boost its growth prospects.

Last updated: 17 January 2021