A Historic Day for Offshore Wind, Massachusetts

Just a few weeks ago, a historic auction took place to decide who would have the exclusive rights to develop offshore wind farms on a pair of parcels in the waters off the coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

This is the first time in our nation’s history the U.S. government held an auction for the development of offshore wind. For Massachusetts, it’s a major milestone that will make us the first American hub of the offshore wind industry. That means jobs.

Deepwater Wind spent $3.8 million for the two parcels and plans to deploy up to 200 turbines into the Atlantic Ocean between Martha’s Vineyard and Block Island.

Along with Cape Wind, which remains poised to become the nation’s first offshore wind farm, these projects not only mean jobs but access to clean, renewable energy.

That’s why we at MassCEC have made fostering this industry a priority, including taking the lead in constructing the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, the nation’s first port designed to handle the staging of offshore wind projects.

In an editorial published on Aug. 6, the Boston Globe calls offshore wind industry not just “an environmental boom; it promises to be an economic one as well.”  

As he broke ground on the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal in May, Governor Patrick said Massachusetts would claim its place as a hub for this new industry.

With recent auction, we’re already seeing the fruits of that labor.