German research team develops printable batteries

A research team at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Electronic Nano Systems (ENAS) in Chemnitz, Germany, led by Prof. Dr. Reinhard Baumann, have developed a 1.5V battery that weighs less than a gram, is less than 1mm thick, and can be printed using a process similar to that used in silk screening.

The new type of battery is made of of different layers: a zinc anode and a manganese cathode, among others. Zinc and manganese react with one another and produce electricity. However, the anode and the cathode layer dissipate gradually during this chemical process. Therefore, the battery is suitable for applications that have a limited life span or a limited power requirement, for instance greeting cards. The battery contains no mercury.

The team hopes to have products using the method available by the end of the year.

More background on college affordability hurdles

By Judy Putnam via Center for Michigan

Michigan's economic woes have hit state support for higher education hard this decade. The state sliced per-pupil support by more than 16 percent between 2000-01 and 2007-08, dropping from an average of $6,853 to $5,719, according to the House Fiscal Agency, a nonpartisan legislative budget analysis group.

During the same time period, per pupil tuition revenue (including out-of-state and graduate-level tuition) jumped 78 percent, from $6,367 to $11,339.

Overall, total revenue generated by tuition and state funding grew by 3.7 percent a year. That’s less than 3.9 percent inflation for the period as measured by Higher Education Price Index, an alternative measure of inflation geared to higher education, according to the House Fiscal Agency. But students shouldered all of the increase plus more to make up for the loss in state support.

National studies rank Michigan below average in affordability.

Read more background on college affordability hurdles

Eight projects investing $349.5m in Michigan announced, creating or retaining over 14,900 jobs across the state

LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is helping seven companies grow in Michigan and is backing one alternative energy brownfield redevelopment project. Combined, the eight projects are expected to create 6,372 new jobs (2,720 direct), retain 8,586 jobs (3,359 direct) and generate over $349.5 million in new investment in the state.

“Our aggressive economic strategy – combined with our competitive business climate and outstanding workforce – continues to generate new corporate investment and new expansion projects in Michigan despite a national recession,” Granholm said. “The projects announced today are the types of projects that will transform our economy and create good-paying jobs for our workers.”

The Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) board today approved state tax credits to win the following projects for Michigan over competing states and countries:

• Magna Seating – The automotive supplier of complete seat solutions and seat mechanisms plans to invest $18 million in a multi-product facility in Highland Park. The project will create 1,414 new jobs, including 420 directly by the company. The MEDC estimates increased economic activity created by the project will create an additional 994 indirect jobs. Based on the MEDC’s recommendation, the MEGA board today approved a state tax credit valued at $4.5 million over seven years to help convince the company to locate in Michigan. The city of Highland Park is considering an abatement valued at $1.5 million in support of the project. http://www.magnasteyr.com/xchg/complete_vehicle/XSL/standard.xsl/-/content/903_905.html
• Attwood Corporation – The marine parts and accessories supplier plans to consolidate the MotorGuide operations based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to its headquarters in Lowell. Both companies are divisions of Mercury Marine. This will be the second business consolidation in as many years for Attwood, with the previous consolidation of its Lancaster, Texas, operations to Lowell after the company received a MEGA credit in July 2008. The company plans to invest $2 million in the project, which will create 92 new jobs, including 51 directly by the company. The MEDC estimates increased economic activity created by the project will create an additional 41 indirect jobs. Based on the MEDC’s recommendation, the MEGA board today approved a state tax credit valued at $483,026 over seven years to help convince the company to expand in Michigan over competing sites in Georgia, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Mexico. The city of Lowell is considering a 12-year abatement to support the project. http://www.attwoodmarine.com/
• AVL Powertrain Engineering Inc. – The powertrain research and development company plans to invest $2.6 million to create a hybrid and alternative fuel development center in Ann Arbor to develop powertrains for electric vehicles. The project will create 76 total jobs, including 40 directly by the company. The MEDC estimates the increased economic activity created by the project will create an additional 36 indirect jobs. Based on the MEDC’s recommendation, the MEGA board today approved a state tax credit valued at $298,559 over five years to encourage the company to expand in Michigan over a competing site in California. The city of Ann Arbor is considering an abatement to support the project. http://www.avl.com/wo/webobsession.servlet.go?app=bcms&page=view&nodeid=400012976
• Molded Materials Inc. – The 40-year-old Michigan company that designs and manufactures tooling and molded composite components for the automotive, life sciences, defense and heavy truck industries plans to invest $2.9 million to consolidate its Plymouth operations to a new facility in Saline. The project is expected to create 69 new jobs, including 29 directly by the company. The MEDC estimates the increased economic activity created by the project could also create an additional 40 indirect jobs. Based on the MEDC’s recommendation, the MEGA board today approved a state tax credit valued at $420,388 over seven years to help convince the company to expand in Michigan over a competing site in Ohio. A tax abatement is also expected from the city of Saline to help this industry grow in Michigan. http://moldedmaterials.com/home.html
• Ventra Ionia – The producer of plastics, metals and mechanical assemblies for the automotive industry plans to invest $42 million to acquire four former Meridian Automotive facilities located in Ionia, Fowlerville and two in Kentwood. The project is expected to retain 3,126 jobs, including 934 directly by the company. The MEDC estimates the increased economic activity created by the project will retain an additional 2,192 indirect jobs. Based on the MEDC’s recommendation, the MEGA board today approved a state tax credit valued at $4.6 million over six years. The cities of Ionia, Fowlerville and Kentwood plan to support the project. http://www.flex-n-gate.com/
• Quicken Loans Inc. –The nation’s largest online lender and fifth largest retail mortgage lender in the United States plans to relocate its headquarters to Detroit, consolidating its executive, management, loan production, title production and administrative functions. The company plans to invest $240 million in the project, which will create 4,019 jobs, including 1,800 directly by the company. The MEDC estimates the increased economic activity created by the project will create an additional 2,219 indirect jobs. The project also is expected to retain 4,967 jobs, including 2,200 directly at the company and an additional 2,767 indirect jobs. Based on the MEDC’s recommendation, the MEGA board today approved a state tax credit valued at $18.1 million over 12 years to help win the project for Michigan over a competing site in Ohio. The MEGA board also approved a $29.1 million retention credit over 12 years to keep jobs in Michigan. The city of Detroit is considering local incentives to support the project. https://www.quickenloans.com/
• Continental Automotive Systems Holding US Inc. – State incentives have been approved to encourage the company to expandoperations in Auburn Hills. The proposed $26.9 million project, pending company approval, is expected to createup to 230 new direct jobs. The MEDC estimates the increased economic activity created by the project will create an additional 322 indirect jobs. Based on the MEDC’s recommendation, the MEGA board today approved a 10-year state tax credit valued at $14.1 million to help convince the company to create new jobs in Michigan. In addition, the MEGA board approved a 10-year state tax credit valued at $10.3 million to encourage the company to retain approximately 225 Continental jobs and 268 indirect jobs in Michigan. The city of Auburn Hills is considering an abatement to support the project. http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/cas/cas/general/home/index_en.html
• Whitehall Township– State and local tax capture valued at $491,767 will support the redevelopment of the former Muskegon County Whitehall-Montague wastewater treatment plant. The developer will incorporate a number of activities, ranging from agriculture feedstock to cellulosic ethanol production to a recycling center and recreation areas. The energy produced at the site will be used to power the ethanol operations and other facilities on the property. The project will generate $13.3 million in new capital investment and is expected to create up to 150 new jobs.

“These job-creating and job-retaining projects are the result of successful collaboration and teamwork with our outstanding economic development partners around the state to bring these projects to Michigan against some very stiff national and international competition,” MEDC President and CEO Greg Main said.

The Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA), the state’s response to interstate competition for company expansions and relocations, may provide a refundable tax credit against the Michigan Business Tax (MBT) to companies expanding or relocating their operations in Michigan. Since January 2009, more than 47,900 new and retained jobs have been announced as a result of the MEGA program.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), a partnership between the state and local communities, promotes smart economic growth by developing strategies and providing services to create and retain good jobs and a high quality of life. For more information on the MEDC’s initiatives and programs, visit the Web site at www.TheMEDC.org.

National Geographic: "Space Internet" to Link Worlds by 2011?

by Brian Handwerk

For all its might, the World Wide Web is still limited to, well, our world.

But that's quickly changing with the advent of an "interplanetary internet" that planners say will revolutionize space communication.

The Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) system, which entered another phase of testing this week, will allow astronauts to Google from the moon or tweet their observations from space.

But DTN provides far more than a connection to check your email. It's also essential for simplifying space command and control functions—such as power production or life-support systems—crucial for future space initiatives.

"You need an automated communications technology … to sustain planetary exploration on the scale that NASA and others want to perform over the next decade," said Kevin Gifford, a senior research associate at BioServe Space Technologies at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

"DTN enables the transition from a simple point-to-point network, like a walkie-talkie, to a true multimode network like the Internet."

After a decade of development DTN has advanced quickly over the past year, and NASA missions are planning to adopt the network by 2011. In November 2008 NASA test-drove the network by sending space images to and from the EPOXI spacecraft, some 20 million miles (32 million kilometers) from Earth.

DTN protocols were also installed on the International Space Station in May, and summer testing began the first week of July.

Houston, We're Fixing a Problem

Though tweeting astronauts have gotten a lot of press, "the reality is that they [don't really] tweet or have browsing capability on the International Space Station," explained Gifford, who is part of a large, cooperative DTN effort that has also included NASA and Internet veterans.

"Right now they actually voice down a simple blurb, and the tweet is operated manually from Houston," he said. In fact most current space communication involves humans manually scheduling each and every link, sometimes weeks or even months in advance for distant spacecraft, and dictating exactly which data are sent and when.

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Granholm Announces 10 Promise Zone Designations in Communities Across Michigan

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today named the 10 Promise Zones, which are being established to expand opportunities for students to attend college and help transform communities in the process. Granholm proposed the Promise Zone concept in her 2007 State of the State address as a component of her comprehensive plan to grow and diversify Michigan's economy and create jobs. The governor signed the enabling legislation into law on January 13, 2009.

"We must ensure that every Michigan citizen has access to an affordable, first-class education beyond high school," Granholm said. "The best-paying jobs of the 21st century will require a high level of education and training. Each of these communities is interested in giving students access to education after high school that will allow them to compete for those jobs."

Promise Zone designations have been awarded to Baldwin Community Schools, Battle Creek Public Schools, Benton Harbor Area Schools, the City of Detroit, the School District of the City of Hazel Park, Jackson Public Schools, the Lansing School District, the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, the School District of the City of Pontiac, and the Saginaw School District. Promise Zones are located in communities that meet or exceed the state's average poverty level for families with children under age 18.

"The promise of a college education for all has the power to transform communities across our state, replacing poverty and despair with opportunity and hope," said Lt. Governor John D. Cherry, Jr., who chaired the Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth. "In addition to higher educational attainment levels, Promise Zones can spur investment, economic development and home ownership."

Under the enabling legislation qualifying applicants were awarded Promise Zone designations by the Michigan Department of Treasury on a first come, first serve basis. To apply for a designation, an eligible city, township, county, or school district had to approve, by resolution, the creation of a Promise Zone following a public hearing on the matter. The community also had to meet or exceed the state average poverty level for families with children under age 18 to be considered for a Promise Zone. In all, 14 communities submitted applications to the Department of Treasury.

"This initiative is one of the most creative ways to give children in these areas of higher than normal poverty a new lease on life and will change the dynamic from "if" they are going to college to "where" they are going to college, and that psychological impact cannot be matched," said State Representative Tim Melton, a key sponsor of the Promise Zone legislation.

Under the legislation, the governing body of each Promise Zone must create, by resolution, a Promise Zone Authority consisting of no less than 11 members. The authority must outline the intended educational promise, which at a minimum, must include funding for an associate's degree, and the methods through which resources will be raised to fund the promise. Promise Zones may capture one-half of the growth in the state education tax (SET) to support the promise. However, before the Department of Treasury approves the SET capture, a Promise Zone Authority must show it has the financial means to fund the first two years of the promise.

"Promise Zones help Michigan achieve our two most important goals - diversifying our economy and doubling the number of college graduates in our state," Governor Granholm added. "Now, more than ever, communities need this powerful new tool to take charge of their economic futures."

Governor Granholm has led several efforts to make college and technical training more accessible to Michigan citizens, including the Michigan Promise scholarship, which provides high school graduates an opportunity to earn up to $4,000 toward a college degree or technical certification.

A2 Business review: Former Gateway Computers CEO Rick Snyder to announce Republican gubernatorial bid

by Nathan Bomey
Monday July 20, 2009, 3:24 PM

Rick Snyder, a prominent Ann Arbor business leader and former president and interim CEO of Gateway Computers, is expected to announce Tuesday morning that he will launch a campaign for Michigan's gubernatorial office in 2010, sources confirmed.

Snyder, a longtime venture capitalist and founder of Ann Arbor SPARK, is likely to champion major tax reform and a focus on transforming Michigan's distressed economy.

"Literally I think we need to start the innovation era in Michigan," Snyder said in May.

Snyder has heretofore released few details about his political viewpoints, but he has called for the elimination of the much-maligned Michigan Business Tax and indicated that his primary focus would be revitalizing Michigan's economy. He has been critical of Gov. Jennifer Granholm's leadership as the state's unemployment rate has ticked up to a nation-worst 15.2 percent.

"In the midst of this crisis, you have failed to provide a clear vision or long-term plan for how Michigan can overcome today's challenges and emerge from this devastating economic period," Snyder wrote in a letter to Granholm released by his campaign. "I hope that you'll realize that in order for this state to move past this era of complacency, fear and frustration we need to abandon politics as usual and embrace new ideas that promote innovation and long-term growth."

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Jack Lessenberry -Essay: Community Colleges and Our Future

President Obama came to Michigan yesterday to announce a major new initiative aimed at strengthening America’s community colleges. Michigan Radio’s Political Analyst Jack Lessenberry has been thinking about their real importance...

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Four years ago, Lt. Gov. John Cherry presided over a high-powered commission that took a hard look at higher education in Michigan. Not surprisingly, it concluded that we needed a lot more of it. The Cherry Commission called on this state to double the number of students who get bachelor’s degrees within the next decade.

That’s a fine idea. But the Cherry Commission’s report gave essentially short shift to community colleges, and virtually ignored the need for vocational training and retraining.

That‘s a big part of the mission community colleges have in this nation and perhaps especially in Michigan, where there are nearly a quarter of a million community college students.

Yesterday, President Obama took a major step to give community colleges new respect, and shift the focus of higher education thinking in this country. He did that at Macomb County Community College, which has been a leader in this field for many years, and has gotten too little notice. If you thought this was some place that offered welding courses and taught remedial reading, you couldn’t be more wrong. This spring, Macomb presented an intellectual and cultural series examining the 1960s in America. It attracted the likes of Ted Sorensen and Andrew Young, and compared favorably to something Harvard might have done.

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