DEARBORN, MI—The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $292,000 to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) to create university-based programs that will help local manufacturers conserve energy.

LONDON—GlaxoSmithKline has launched a program to recycle used inhalers.

The Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, MI, takes flexible manufacturing to a new level

NORTH PORTLAND, OR—Solar panel manufacturer SoloPower will celebrate the grand opening of its $340 million assembly plant here today. The facility will employ 90 people by the end of the year.

HENDERSON, NC—Semprius Inc. will open its first solar panel assembly plant here this month, creating some 250 jobs.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—McCune Solar Works is in the final stages of negotiations to assume operations of the former Schott Solar assembly plant here. McCune plans to resume production at the plant next year, employing 130.

FREMONT, CA—Silevo Inc. has created a new solar cell that is more than 21 percent efficient converting sunlight into electricity.

Volkswagen Group of America’s Chattanooga, TN, plant is well-known for being the first automotive manufacturing plant in the world to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in December 2011.

AKRON, OH—Researchers at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. have discovered that using soybean oil in tires can increase tread life by 10 percent and reduce the tiremaker’s use of petroleum by 7 million gallons each year.

SMYRNA, TN—Nissan’s automotive assembly plant here has earned ISO 50001 certification for leadership in energy management.