7/9/13 - A new partnership between two Dutch firms and a Michigan company will bring green technology manufacturing to Livingston County. Verwater Elemental out of the Netherlands has acquired the rights to models of turbines and solar panels used in Europe, and Green Oak manufacturer Center PowerD Management began producing one of their models this week. The turbines are vertical, resembling merry-go-rounds rather than windmills, and are meant to harness lower wind speeds than traditional wind turbines while also being less obtrusive. The solar panels are used to heat water rather than produce electricity, providing much greater efficiency and savings over traditional solar cells. Center PowerD is also partnering with StatiqCooling, another Dutch firm, to produce high-efficiency cooling systems. The manufacture of these items is prompting Center PowerD to expand, and they plan to add 90 new manufacturing, sales, and engineering jobs in the coming months. Jan Verwater was one of the Dutch representatives that gathered at Center PowerDâs building earlier today, and he says there are many green technologies in use in Europe that have not found extensive use in America. His company plans to bridge this gap by partnering with Center PowerD and having these technologies produced in America, and more technologies will be brought to Michigan in the future. Together with Representative Bill Rogers, the companies are discussing the possibility of marketing the energy-efficient power and heating technology to school districts to make summer classes or even year-round schooling more feasible. (TD)
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