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In this issue:
New 1.5-Megawatt Wind Turbine Dedicated at Jiminy Peak
On August 15, Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort of Hancock drew crowds of visitors for the dedication of "Zephyr," its new 1.5-megawatt wind turbine. Jiminy Peak, which operates a ski area and a summer adventure park, expects the turbine to provide approximately one-third of the resort's electricity needs. MTC's Renewable Energy Trust provided a grant of $582,875 for the project through the Large Onsite Renewables Initiative, and has entered into an agreement to purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) in years 4 through 10 of the turbine's operation if Jiminy Peak cannot sell them at a higher price to other REC purchasers (learn more about RECs). "We have been proud to work with Jiminy Peak since the birth of the idea for this turbine," said Trust Director Warren Leon. "The resort has become a model of sustainability and forward thinking, and it has been our pleasure to support them." "MTC is an integral part of this project and we truly would not have been able to install our turbine without them. Renewable energy is an alternative that companies and businesses must consider if they are going to be economically and environmentally sound in the future. We must all work together to preserve our Earth for future generations and MTC makes that happen." said Brian Fairbank, CEO of Jiminy Peak. Read the recent Wall Street Journal article on Jiminy Peak>> To learn more about the project, visit www.jiminypeak.com>> Massachusetts Selected to Host Wind Turbine Blade Testing Facility Massachusetts was recently selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to host one of two new wind turbine blade testing facilities, and received a $2 million award to help with the facility's construction. The total capital cost of each facility has been estimated at $9 to $12 million, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The two new facilities--the second of which will be located in Texas--are being built to accommodate a new generation of wind turbine blades that cannot be tested at NREL's only current testing facility capable of handling megawatt-class blades.
"Hosting a national wind technology testing center will boost the clean energy technology sector already taking root in Massachusetts,” said Governor Deval Patrick in a prepared statement. “This is an important win for us, and further proof that Massachusetts is on the way to becoming a global center for renewable energy.” The Massachusetts facility will be built at the Boston Autoport in Boston Harbor, with construction starting in 2008. The Autoport's location on the harbor makes it a prime site for the facility, since transportation of the turbine blades is easiest in waterways, and also because of its proximity to East Coast offshore wind resources and potential offshore turbine sites. Read Governor Patrick's press release>> Clean Energy Industry Cluster Census Report Shows Sector Growth in Mass.
The Patrick Administration and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative recently released a report identifying the Massachusetts Clean Energy Cluster as a growing segment of the state's economy. The cluster—which encompasses energy efficiency, renewable energy, and related product and service companies—is expected to overtake Textiles as the 10th largest industry cluster in Massachusetts, according to the report. This sector has been identified by Governor Deval Patrick as a top priority from an environmental and economic perspective. “Governor Patrick intends to make Massachusetts a national and global leader in clean energy because he sees it as an economic opportunity as well as an environmental necessity,” said Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles in a press release. “This census shows that the clean energy sector is off to a good start in Massachusetts. We need the industry to make itself heard, and we in state government need to put in place the regulatory incentives that will make Massachusetts a place where demand for clean energy technologies and products will grow. “The clean energy sector is key to the economic future of the Commonwealth,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Dan O’Connell in the release. “We need to understand what it will take to make this sector grow and thrive in Massachusetts.” The full report is available on the MTC website: read it here>> Ze-gen Opens New Facility; Secures $4.5 Million in Funds
Ze-gen, Inc., a clean energy company developing advanced waste-to-energy technologies, has just opened its new demonstration facility in New Bedford. The Renewable Energy Trust's Sustainable Energy Economic Development (SEED) Initiative provided a $500,000 loan to the company to help it to construct the facility. Ze-gen has also recently secured $4.5 million in funding from several venture capital firms. Photo (left to right): MTC's Mark Ferri, Sudhir Nunes, and Sissi Liu stand with U.S. Department of Energy representative Steve Chuslo and Ze-gen's Jeff Leech in front of Ze-gen's biomass gasification furnace at the new facility.
Osgood Landing in North Andover was originally constructed in the late 1950s by Western Electric. This 2 million square foot office, manufacturing, and warehouse complex is now undergoing renovations to support a new mission: the growth of dozens of businesses. The process of renovations included major improvements in energy conservation and after addressing the lighting and HVAC systems, the owner sought to use the enormous unused space on the roof to capture the sun’s energy. With the assistance of a local turn-key solar integration company, Osgood Landing installed a 103-kilowatt photovoltaic power plant on the facility using a ballasted mounting system with only one roof penetration. “The cornerstone for our business is being able to transform under-utilized office, manufacturing and warehouse space into thriving commerce centers," said Orit Goldstein, president of Ozzy Properties, Inc. "Solar and other renewable technologies help us excel in our industry not only by offering a great return on investment, but also in attracting top companies to our facilities. Our clients take great pride in knowing their businesses are powered in part by solar panels on site." The 608 Evergreen Solar modules and Solectria Renewables 95-kW inverter are expected to produce over 117 MWh of electricity per year. The system is expected to pay for itself in about 4 to 5 years and will further provide decades of free electricity. With the incentives offered by the Trust, the return on investment was similar or even better than most other energy conservation projects with far greater programmatic benefits for the building and tenant businesses. Ozzy Properties already has contracts to add another 135 kW to this and other facilities in the region. Forward, one puff at a time Big wind may be in big trouble. But small wind has never been so popular. As Massachusetts officials and energy companies push to ramp up wind-powered electric generation as a less polluting, potentially cheaper source of energy, the largest wind proposals in the state are all mired in political and regulatory controversy: the 140-tower Cape Wind in Nantucket Sound, the 20-tower Hoosac Wind in the Berkshire hills, and a proposed Buzzards Bay wind farm that's still nascent but already setting off alarms among local residents concerned about visual and marine impacts. Read more>> Clean energy industry shows fast job growth Massachusetts' fast-growing "clean energy" industry -- companies involved in fields such as solar and wind power, conservation, and high-efficiency energy technology -- is poised to add as many as 3,000 jobs this year, according to a state survey released yesterday. Read more>> Grants Kick-Start Resort's Energy Project Brian Fairbank had a big goal: Build a 37-story windmill on his ski resort to help cut its huge electric bill. But pulling it off was no easy run down the bunny slope. Mr. Fairbank ultimately pieced together a complex deal that included $597,000 in grants, renewable-energy credits valued at as much as $1.4 million over 10 years and a $3.3 million bank loan. Read more>> Companies work to make own energy QUINCY -- For years, Twin Rivers Technologies sold the by products from soybean and other natural oils it processes to pet food makers. But as energy prices began to rise, the company found a better use for leftover oils: fuel. Today, these leftovers account for about half the fuel Twin Rivers burns at its Quincy plant, saving the company millions of dollars in energy costs. The self-generated fuel is just part of Twin Rivers' efforts to become energy independent. It also uses steam from its manufacturing process to generate electricity and hopes to eventually add wind power, too. Read more >> Wind project gaining ground To unsubscribe from Watts News, please email wattsnews@masstech.org. For additional free subscriptions to the newsletter and other periodic announcements from the Trust, please email that address or visit our registration page. |
