Wayne State University to House Michigan's NextEnergy Center

Michigan's NextEnergy Center, the central component of Gov. John Engler's $50 million fuel cell initiative, will be located within Wayne State University’s Research and Technology Park in Detroit, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) recently announced. Wayne State is situated in the Woodward Technology Corridor, one of 11 SmartZones located across Michigan.

The NextEnergy Center will serve as the nucleus for the NextEnergy Initiative — the Governor's comprehensive economic development plan to make Michigan a leader in the research, development, commercialization and manufacture of alternative energy technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells. The center will help facilitate collaborative research, incubate alternative energy technology companies, and provide industry collaboration for this new technology.

“By locating within Wayne State University’s Research and Technology Park, the NextEnergy Center will take advantage of a world-class university, be within the geographical center of the North American auto industry and leverage the substantial funding the MEDC has invested in this SmartZone,” Doug Rothwell, president & CEO of MEDC, said in a press statement.

The 250,000-square-foot NextEnergy Center was originally to be located in York Township, Washtenaw County. However, due to the costs associated with providing infrastructure to the York Township site, the need to open the center quickly to meet market demand, and the favorable conditions of the SmartZone in Detroit, the center’s location was changed.

NextEnergy Center proponents hope construction will begin by the year's end and be open for business by Fall 2003.