The center is a nonprofit corporation to focus on the responsible growth
of tomorrow's energy technology industry.
NextEnergy's holistic approach to developing AET includes academic
programs to educate the new workforce. Working in partnership with several
Michigan colleges and universities to develop educational curriculum at
the certificate, undergraduate degree and graduate level degree programs
in AET, NextEnergy has committed more than $1.3 million in grants to seven
Michigan institutions. More than 1,800 students have enrolled in these
programs since they were piloted in 2004.
"It is with great excitement that we officially open NextEnergy Center
today and power up a new era in alternative energy development and
economic growth for Michigan and the nation," said James Croce, CEO of
NextEnergy. "NextEnergy seeks to lead the nation in achieving economic
security through energy diversity by bringing to commercialization a
variety of alternative energy sources that, together, can make drastic
reductions in our nation's dependence on fossil fuels, including imported
petroleum."
In addition to the work NextEnergy is doing with hydrogen and distributed
generation, Croce announced the Biodiesel Value Chain, which includes the
National Biofuels Energy Laboratory, DaimlerChrysler, the US Environmental
Protection Agency, Biodiesel Industries, Robert Bosch Corporation, Delphi
Corporation, Biodiesel Industries, the U.S. Army Tank Command, Wayne State
University, and the US Department of Energy. Other tenants in its R&D
complex include Alternative Power Supply, Biomass Energy Solutions,
NanoScience Engineering, Nextek Power Systems, REB Research & Consulting,
and Select Engineering Services.
NextEnergy will work closely with SES on programs including the DOD Design
Engineering Support Program, working with Southwest Research Institute's
lab to focus joint programs on alternative energy, alternative fuels and
vehicles of the future, and with Titan Energy Development, developer of
emergency vehicles supplying supplemental power, potable water, satellite
communications, and clean air.
NextEnergy Center's Microgrid Power Pavilion enables system integration as
well as testing and validation for use by technology system developers,
integrators and technicians working in the accelerator labs or elsewhere.
The Microgrid includes on-site electrical power generation; fuel cells,
internal and external combustion engine generators, and renewable power
systems; thermal recovery and distribution; advanced communications and
controls; multiple fuel sources (natural gas, hydrogen, biofuels and
synthetic fuels); and a modular design and construction that provides for
cost-effective installation of new technologies as needed by researchers
to test and prove their technologies.
NextEnergy's Alternative Fuel Testing Platform can be used by researchers
for advancing the development and application of hydrogen, natural gas,
biofuels and synthetic fuels.