Sunday, December 21, 2008

Rotem Industries and Midwest Research Institute to establish renewable energy technology center in Dimona

Midwest Research Institute (MRI) and Rotem Industries Ltd announced that they have reached an agreement to jointly establish a Renewable Energy Technological Center (RETC) in the Rotem Industrial Park located in Dimona, Israel.

MRI and Rotem aim to develop and commercialize new clean technologies at the RETC.
MRI is one of America's leading independent research institutes conducting research in the areas of national security and defense, energy and environment, life sciences, food and agriculture, and transportation safety. It is one of the two entities in the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, that manages and operates the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colo., for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Rotem, a quasi-governmental entity, specializes in evaluating seed technologies, bringing them to market readiness and commercializing the resulting products. In 2005, Rotem established a Renewable Energy Innovation Center that is now home to projects like Leviathan Energy's experimental wind park and BrightSource Energy's "Solar Energy Development Center".

MRI and Rotem will also collaborate with TASC Capital to invest in promising renewable energy technologies.

MRI and Rotem will organize and manage the RETC, with Rotem providing the facilities and MRI providing expertise in the technical screening and evaluation of potential projects. It is anticipated the Center will be ready for operation in January 2009.

"In Israel, MRI has found innovative technologies with commercialization potential that will advance new renewable energy applications in the marketplace," said Roger Starnes, MRI Group Vice President of Strategic and Emerging Program Development. "MRI's and Rotem's capabilities complement each other and by working together through the Center we will be able to accelerate the advancement of these technologies."

This agreement would seem to put Rotem in a strong position to receive government support under a Negev renewable energy R&D program approved by the Israeli government in August, 2008.

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