DETROIT -I hope that you are healthy, staying safe, and looking forward to the holidays! As we wind down 2021, it has been an interesting year to say the least. 2021 has been a year filled with challenges for all of us and some great opportunities for the NextEnergy team and our stakeholders in accelerating solutions that lead to cleaner, smarter, and more accessible communities and cities. I want to share some of these highlights with you.

Technology Programs

EV Battery 2 nd Use & Recycling Research Program

In early 2021, Michigan Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) awarded NextEnergy a market research grant to assess the Michigan supply chain for electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling and secondary use. With our partner, Wixom, MI-based Battery Solutions, an industry leader in recycling management solutions for all battery chemistries, we are examining and characterizing the existing Michigan supply chain for collection, analysis, remanufacturing, reuse, and recycling of used EV batteries. The assessment will identify existing supply chain gaps as well as opportunities for addressing those gaps, including via secondary use applications. We will finish this work in early 2022 and submit our findings to EGLE to prepare for future EV battery applications.

As part of the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification Michigan Mobility Platform, we supported 13 real world deployments within autonomous and electrified transit with innovators such as AdastecKuhmuteLilypad, and GreenRoute in Michigan communities and 7 testing applications within the platform’s testing sites. For more information on the platform and upcoming rounds for new applications, please check out the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform.

Our work to support the development and testing of next generation hydrogen fueling components to industrialize global standards with Air Liquide, Hyundai, NEL, Nikola, Shell, and Toyota were announced this year. On behalf of this group of industry leaders, we have executed agreements with Tatsuno and Transfer Oil to develop and manufacture these key components.

Work at the I2C

Our work to support Delta Electronics US Department of Energy Extreme Fast Charging program moved into the testing phase within the microgrid on the I2C campus. During 2021, Delta was able to test the 400kW DC fast charger with vehicles from General Motors, Ford, and Volkswagen.

To accelerate our path to an all-electric future, we have worked with Heat X to upgrade the smart home at the I2C campus support the integration of their magnetocaloric/magneto induction technology for space and water heating, and cooking.

Our Team

In 2021, we were also able add key expertise to our team. John Hale IIIRob Stevens, and Rick Spina joined our board of directors bringing expertise within energy and mobility industries.

Kate Bell joined our team bringing her passion and experience within energy and community development as a program manager within our smart cities and communities’ work.

2021 has provided us many opportunities to support great partners committed to accelerating smarter, cleaner, and more accessible communities and cities. We look forward to continuing this progress in 2022 and stayed tuned for new programs which will be announced early next year. As always, please stay tuned for updates on our work and activities via our website, social media platforms, and as always please feel free to connect with our team.

Jim Saber, President & CEO, NextEnergy