Government/ Non-Profit

Governor Deval Patrick today announced that the 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) Internship Program will expand paid internships for college students at Massachusetts-based clean energy companies. Governor Patrick made the announcement at the Global Cleantech Meet-up, an annual conference for clean energy technology industry professionals being held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center this week.
“I am proud we are able to expand this program and provide more students with an opportunity to gain the world experience necessary to compete in the 21st century global economy,” said Governor Patrick. “Through this program we are creating the clean energy leaders that will fuel our economy for years to come.”
Under Governor Patrick’s leadership, clean energy employment in Massachusetts grew by 11.2 percent from July 2011 to July 2012. The sector now employs over 71,000 people throughout Massachusetts.
During his address today, Governor Patrick discussed how the state is lowering the cost of energy and shaping the Commonwealth’s energy future. By increasing the commitment to renewable energy sources, the Patrick-Murray Administration is poising Massachusetts as a leader in the global energy revolution. Read his full remarks here.
Over the past two summers, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program placed more than 262 students and recent graduates in internships at more than 77 clean energy companies across the state. As a result of the internship program, 38 students gained full-time and part-time employment.
The expanded program, which will begin taking applications on November 1, will include 10-week internship sessions in the fall and spring, as well as traditional the 10-week summer program.
As in past years, MassCEC will provide Massachusetts-based clean energy companies with stipends of up to $12 per hour for up to 10 weeks for each intern. The summer session will continue to provide for full-time internships, with a cap of $4,800 per intern, while the spring and fall sessions will provide for part-time internships, with a cap of $2,400 per intern.
“Expanding this already robust summer program will help develop the next generation of clean energy leaders who will contribute to the global clean energy industry,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan, who chairs the MassCEC Board of Directors. “The program supports education and training which further the career goals of tomorrow’s clean energy leaders.”
In addition to compensation, interns gain meaningful employment experience such as networking opportunities, mentoring, and industry knowledge only gained from working within clean energy companies.
“This program is a natural way to connect emerging and established clean energy companies with the educated workforce that can help grow their businesses,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton McDevitt. “These internships allow students and recent graduates to hone the skills they learned in the classroom and prepare for jobs in the expanding global clean energy sector.”
“Clean and renewable energy companies are thriving in Massachusetts, and offer students a wide variety of professional experiences,” said Peter Rothstein, president of the New England Clean Energy Council, which co-sponsors the program. “This program will continue to grow the innovation and leadership of this sector by grooming our next leaders. And by engaging these students in the clean energy sector, we promote the industry as an important career path.”
Earlier this month, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) ranked Massachusetts as the number one state for energy efficiency policies and programs. ACEEE applauded the Commonwealth for continuing expansion on traditional energy policy and taking innovative approaches to investing in energy savings, creating clean energy jobs, and reducing reliance on foreign sources of energy, while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Green Communities Division today announced a $500,000 pilot program to help local communities identify energy efficiency, renewable energy and other clean energy strategies to meet local energy needs.
The Community Energy Strategies Program will provide technical and financial assistance for up to four municipalities and at least one regional planning authority to help identify, prioritize and enable a mix of clean energy strategies and incentives best suited to address local interests, needs, resources and opportunities for clean energy development.
The program is designed to help communities assess and evaluate clean energy investments ranging from high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment and insulation to wind turbines and solar photovoltaic systems.
“Many Massachusetts communities have strong interest in pursuing clean energy development, but lack the technical and financial capacity to identify and take full advantage of local clean energy opportunities,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan. “The program will enable local communities to maximize their clean energy potential.”
“This pilot program is one more way for DOER to help communities identify resources that are available to assist them in growing their clean energy portfolio,” said DOER Commissioner Mark Sylvia. “We hope that our partnership with MassCEC will lead to an increase of wind, solar, anaerobic digestion and other clean energy projects, which will benefit local residents and Massachusetts as a whole.”
“An ideal approach to clean energy employs a combination of energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy generation,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton McDevitt. “Projects that work for one community may not work for another, and thus this program is designed to help municipalities find the best projects for their communities.”
Massachusetts lies at the end of the energy pipeline – lacking indigenous supplies of traditional energy resources. As a result, Massachusetts has some of the highest energy costs in the nation. Of the $22 billion Massachusetts spends annually on energy, $18 billion of that goes to out-of-state and foreign sources.
The state’s growing renewable energy portfolio and emphasis on energy efficiency – the state’s “first fuel” - keeps more of that spending in the Massachusetts economy, while creating local jobs. As a result of Massachusetts’ progressive clean energy policies, clean energy jobs in Massachusetts have grown by 11.2 percent from 2011 to 2012, according to the 2012 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report.

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton McDevitt and Avi Hasson, Chief Scientist of Israel, today announced the second round of the Massachusetts-Israel Innovation Partnership (MIIP) to fund collaborative research projects focused on innovative water technologies.
“Finding reliable and clean sources of energy and water are two of the most important environmental challenges facing the world today and forging international partnerships will help create solutions,” said Barton McDevitt. “We’re thrilled to help unite Massachusetts and Israeli companies around innovations designed to tap into sustainable supplies of both resources.”
“Water innovation has long been a national priority and has presented Israel with a tremendous opportunity to become a global leader in fields such as water treatment, water reuse, desalination and drip irrigation,” said Hasson. “We are very pleased to join forces with our long-time friends and partners in Massachusetts and continue to strengthen the water industry by fostering innovation, development and commercialization of additional export markets.”
Barton McDevitt and Hasson made the announcement at today’s W.E.T. Revolution, part of the Massachusetts Water Innovation Mission to Israel.
Application teams should include one Massachusetts company and one Israeli company, who will partner to work on a collaborative research project. Up to two teams will be selected for the grant. MassCEC will provide $250,000 and Israel will provide matching funding.
"Brainpower and innovation will be critical in addressing global and local sustainability, especially in water," said Rep. Carolyn Dykema, who is part of the Massachusetts Water Innovation Mission to Israel . “It's exciting that entrepreneurs from Massachusetts and Israel are finding solutions to these problems, and the MassCEC grant program will only speed up progress, while creating jobs and opportunity here in the Commonwealth. I'm proud that Massachusetts is leading the way with such a creative and effective program."
The MIIP, established as a direct result of Governor Patrick’s 2011 Massachusetts Innovation Economy Partnership Trade Mission to Israel, was born out of a coalition of Massachusetts and Israeli leading business executives and senior government officials interested in growth opportunities of common interest for Massachusetts’ and Israel’s innovation industries.
This second round of MIIP award funding is focused on bringing together the Massachusetts and Israel water and energy innovation clusters, two of the leading such clusters in the world, providing access to new employees, researchers, customers and commercial opportunities in the long run. The volume of water required to produce energy and the amount of energy required in the treatment of water is an important link that embodies this program. 

About the Office of the Chief Scientist and MATIMOP
The Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, empowered by the Law for the Encouragement of Industrial Research and Development, oversees all Government-sponsored support of research and development in Israeli industry. This broad spectrum support stimulates the development of innovative state-of-the-art technologies and enhances the competitive power of the industry in the high-tech global market. MATIMOP, the Israeli Industry Center for R&D acts on behalf of the OCS and facilitates international cooperation programs through various  bi- and multi-national industrial research and development agreements aiming to enhance cooperation in research and development and technological innovation between Israeli and foreign enterprises and academic research institutes.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), in partnership with the City of New Bedford, will host an informational public meeting regarding the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal. Once constructed, the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal will be the first facility in the nation designed to support the construction, assembly, and deployment of offshore wind projects. The terminal will also provide the Port of New Bedford new capacity to handle high-volume bulk and container shipping, as well as large specialty marine cargo. As part of construction, the project includes the dredging and removal of approximately 250,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, a significant environmental benefit to the City of New Bedford. The first of its kind in North America, the terminal has been engineered to sustain mobile crane and storage loads that rival the highest capacity ports in the world.
The public meeting will include a presentation regarding construction and a question and answer session.
WHAT:
Informational public meeting on the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal
WHO:
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, in partnership with the City of New Bedford and the New Bedford Economic Development Council
WHEN:
Tuesday, April 2, 2013, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
WHERE:
New Bedford Public Library,
613 Pleasant St., Third Floor
New Bedford, MA 02740

Communities from Williamstown to Bourne will participate in Solarize Mass (Solarize Mass®); program contracted hundreds of solar energy systems in 2012
Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan today announced the 10 communities that will participate in the first round of the 2013 Solarize Massachusetts program (Solarize Mass), a grassroots clean energy marketing, education and group-buying program.
The program – run by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) – is designed to increase the adoption of solar energy and further reduce the overall cost of solar power, and offers residents and businesses discounted pricing for solar. The more people in a particular community who participate, the greater the savings for everyone in that city or town.
“This year’s program will build on the success of the last two years, saving residents and businesses money while creating local jobs,” said Secretary Sullivan.
Participating in the first round of the 2013 Solarize Mass program are Bourne, Brookline, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Lee, Medford, Medway, Newton, Northampton and Williamstown. Carlisle and Chelmsford will be participating in the program as a group.
“This program brings together residents, local and state officials, and solar industry workers to form a truly grassroots effort,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton. “With everyone at the table, we can spread the word about the economic and environmental benefits of solar power across ten communities.”
“This new round of Solarize Mass continues to build on the clean energy leadership we’ve seen over and over again at the community level,” said DOER Commissioner Mark Sylvia. “When neighbors encourage neighbors, it creates local excitement and greater participation. This grassroots commitment is fueling Massachusetts leadership in energy efficiency, clean energy jobs growth, and renewable energy adoption.”
MassCEC and DOER will work with community volunteers and municipal representatives in each community to select a designated installer through a competitive bidding process. Eight of the communities participating in this round (Brookline, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Medford, Medway, Newton, Northampton and Williamstown) are Green Communities, a designation made by DOER to cities and towns that meet five clean energy requirements, including a commitment to reduce their energy use by 20 percent and to streamline the responsible siting of renewable energy such as solar photovoltaics. Bourne and Lee are the first non-Green Communities to participate in Solarize Mass since it first launched as a pilot program in 2011.
Last year, 17 cities and towns participated in Solarize Mass, with 749 residents and businesses signing contracts to install solar electricity systems with the capacity to generate 4.8 megawatts of clean, renewable energy – enough to power the equivalent of 719 average Massachusetts homes annually. During the 2012 Solarize Mass program, participating customers were able to purchase solar electricity systems for 20 percent less than the statewide average price at the beginning of the program. The program last year also created at least 32 new jobs.
Due to state renewable energy incentive programs like Solarize Mass, residential solar electricity prices dropped 28 percent in Massachusetts in 2012, according to a report issued by the Solar Energy Industries Association in March 2013. This was the second biggest drop in the nation last year.
Under the leadership of Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, Massachusetts set a goal of achieving 250 megawatts of solar PV by 2017. As a result of the Solarize Mass program and other incentives, the state is close to reaching its goal – with 243 megawatts of solar electricity installed to date, the equivalent of powering 38,000 homes for a year.
Massachusetts sits at the end of the energy pipeline, spending billions of dollars annually to import all of its fossil fuel based energy sources from places like South America, Canada, and the Middle East. That is lost economic opportunity that Massachusetts stands poised to reclaim through investments in home-grown renewable energy programs like Solarize.
 
About Solarize Mass
Solarize Mass, which is a partnership between MassCEC and DOER’s Green Communities Division, is a grassroots model that encourages the adoption of small scale solar projects.  Follow the Twitter hash tag #SolarizeMass for more information.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) today announced BulbTrip as the grand prize winner of the Second Annual Boston Cleanweb Hackathon, a $10,000 prize competition to demonstrate the impact of applying information technology to tackle some of the world’s most urgent energy concerns.
Held this past weekend at Greentown Labs in the Boston Innovation District, the competition brought together entrepreneurs, thought leaders, computer developers, business and technology professionals with experts on energy and efficiency to develop web-based applications to target some of today’s most pressing resource constraints.
“We’re happy this event has found a home here in Massachusetts, where there is a natural spirit of entrepreneurship, a hub of innovation with a robust cluster of people dedicated to solving some of the world’s biggest energy and water challenges,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton.
Over the course of the 30 hours, nearly 80 participants, representing businesses, students and entrepreneurs creatively challenged their minds to create more than 20 innovative information technology solutions to address energy constraints and compete for over $10,000 in prizes.
A second prize competition, the Data Jam, was also launched at the Hackathon. The Data Jam is a 90-day challenge focused on the creation of impactful and market-ready applications for building efficiency and transportation. The competition is supported by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, U.S. Department of Energy, the City of Boston’s Greenovate Initiative and EnerNOC and will award $15,000 in prizes later this year.
"These kinds of collaborative efforts help our nation move toward energy independence while spurring new jobs and economic growth," said Nick Sinai, deputy chief technology officer from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy who kicked off the Data Jam session.
“Boston is a global leader in the cleanweb movement and is growing the sector rapidly due to its unmatched ecosystem of new venture creation, innovation and forward thinkers challenging the status quo,” said Mark Vasu, co-chair of the organizing committee. “It is no surprise Boston's event is the largest of its kind, supported enthusiastically by so many.”
BulbTrip received the $6,000 grand prize.  BulbTrip’s application, described as Zappos for residential lighting, is an e-commerce site designed to make it easy for homeowners to buy, try and return efficient lighting options and understand the paybacks of them as well.
The $3,000 second place and People’s Choice Award winner was Green Captcha, whose web application uses sign-in technology “captcha” tools that raise awareness and educate consumers about environmental issues. JCube, the $1,000 third place winner provides an energy use and analytics platform for City of Boston school buildings, equating potential energy savings to other budgeting elements like hiring teachers. Other notable applications included MapMyEnergy.com and Sim Energy Boston in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
The top Data Jam team entries are Paddleboard.com, a mobile app for transportation that aggregates travel options and choices by energy use, and Crowd Control, an energy efficiency platform that empowers individuals to eliminate waste and capture high-value energy saving in the buildings where they work. Winning teams are invited to present on the main stage and receive free admission to the VERGE Boston conference May 13-14. Data Jam teams will also receive mentoring and support until they pitch their final, market-ready apps at the launch of the Cleantech Open Northeast Summer Academy in Boston on June 26. Top entries are invited to showcase their solutions at the next Energy Datapalooza organized by White House officials.
The competition judges were: Rob Day, partner, Black Coral Capital; Roberto Ramirez, chief financial officer, MassCEC; Hugh Scandrett, vice president of engineering, EnerNOC; Leo Shklovski, CTO and co-founder, EnergySavvy and the moderator was Matthew Nordan, vice president, Venrock.

The Patrick-Murray Administration today announced the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided the Commonwealth with environmental approval to construct the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, a multi-purpose facility that will enable the Port of New Bedford to handle high volume bulk and container shipping, as well as large specialty marine cargo. The terminal will also be the first facility in the nation designed to support the construction, assembly, and deployment of offshore wind projects.

With the EPA’s authorization, the project is expected to go out to bid to prospective developers within the next several weeks, and be completed in 2014. The terminal will be able to accommodate the docking of vessels that deliver wind turbine parts as well as barges to transport the assembled components from the port to the installation area. In addition, the terminal area includes significant lay-down space for wind turbine components and trans-shipment cargo.

“This facility makes Massachusetts the East Coast hub for offshore wind development while strengthening New Bedford’s position as a port city,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “The construction of the terminal helps launch a new clean energy industry in Massachusetts that will create hundreds of jobs, enhance our energy security, and reduce fossil fuel emissions.”

“By focusing on clean energy initiatives and supporting economic development in our seaport communities, this project will improve infrastructure that is vital to New Bedford’s harbor,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, Chair of the Seaport Advisory Council.  “As we move ahead with this project, we look forward to creating jobs and growing the regional economy.”

In its decision, the EPA determined that the project is protective of both human health and the environment, meets the substantive requirements of federal and state environmental standards, and is consistent with the ongoing New Bedford Harbor Superfund remediation. As part of construction, the project will include significant environmental cleanup of up to 244,600 cubic yards of contaminated sediment that currently rests on the harbor bottom within the footprint of the project, the deposition of which was the result of waste releases from industrial activities around the harbor during the 1930s and 1940s.

“After carefully reviewing all of the data and supporting material, EPA is confident that the work needed to construct the South Terminal in New Bedford can be done in a way that protects the health of local citizens, and protects New Bedford’s environment,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office.  “This is another example of EPA work that is helping New Bedford to revitalize its economy by cleaning the environment, and to begin another chapter in its proud history.”

The terminal facility involves the construction of a new coffer-dam style bulkhead capable of providing berthing space for large shipping vessels, including those delivering offshore wind components and the jack-up barges that will serve as construction vessels for offshore wind projects. The facility will increase the existing capability in New Bedford Harbor to receive ships up to 500 feet in length, increasing the City’s competitiveness as a medium-sized Northeast port, and putting the port at the forefront of what is expected to become a robust renewable energy supply chain industry. In addition to receiving and handling large offshore wind components, the terminal will provide the port with a new capability to receive oversized equipment such as rail cars and industrial-sized boilers.

“This project comes with infinite potential,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan. “Not only will it make Massachusetts a national leader in offshore wind, but it will contribute to the revitalization the City of New Bedford, making it a major player in the shipping industry, bringing economic dividends to the region.”

Specifically, the new terminal’s major construction elements include:

• Dredging and removal of contaminated sediment in the harbor to create a channel to the facility that will be constructed to a depth of 30 feet for the passage of deep water vessels;
• The construction of a 1,000 foot long extension to the existing South Terminal bulkhead. The new bulkhead will be built as a coffer-dam style structure capable of supporting large vessel berthing as well as heavy shore-side cranes for the unloading of cargo and industrial components that are expected to range in size from large to super-sized.
• Placing of the clean sediment generated from the dredging behind the bulkhead to create additional acres of productive land available for staging commercial scale offshore wind projects; and
• Constructing a Confined Aquatic Disposal (CAD) cell offshore for disposal and sequestration of any contaminated soils in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.

The project is a collaboration of multiple agencies within the Commonwealth, including the Executive Offices of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), and Administration and Finance (ANF), the Departments of Environmental Protection and Fish and Game, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), and the City of New Bedford.  Apex Companies Waterways Division, a marine and infrastructure engineering and environmental services group with a long history of successful projects completed in New Bedford Harbor, serves as the Commonwealth’s permitting, design and construction implementation consultant.

“The South Terminal project is a milestone for our area’s economic development. The potential for the facility is unlimited and will lead to the creation of a number of local jobs,” said Sen. Mark Montigny, long time sponsor of the state bonding that is financing the project. “The building of the terminal facility will enable New Bedford to become the leading East Coast offshore wind staging port and will ensure New Bedford’s role in this fast developing maritime related industry. I look forward to working with state and city officials to bring this project to completion in a timely and cost effective manner.”

“This project is a significant state investment in New Bedford,” said Rep. Antonio F.D. Cabral. “State investments mean jobs, and I will continue to work with Governor Patrick to make this project a reality.”

“New Bedford has quickly become the center of attention for the offshore wind industry in North America, and with good reason,” said New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell. “If we continue our steady progress, the South Terminal Project has the best chance anywhere in the country of becoming the birthplace of this exciting new industry on U.S. shores. Securing this decision from EPA is a significant step towards this goal. The South Terminal Project is in this enviable position today only because of the commitment and careful attention of the EPA and its Regional Administrator Curt Spalding and the sustained efforts of a host of state agencies lead by Governor Patrick and Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rick Sullivan.  Our hats are off to all of them.”

“Offshore wind development will provide a promising economic future for the Commonwealth,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton McDevitt. “Today we’ve taken a big step toward that future, which will not only create local jobs but tap in to a powerful local source of clean and reliable energy.”

“Rarely does a project come along that will both improve environmental quality and expand economic opportunity as much as the South Terminal Expansion. EPA’s approval of the project represents an exciting moment for New Bedford and for the future of renewable energy in New England,” said Mark Rasmussen, President of the Buzzards Bay Coalition.  

The final cost of the terminal is estimated to be approximately $100 million, when the costs of construction, land acquisition, development and environmental permitting, harbor dredging and environmental remediation are included. The project will be financed by the Commonwealth with contributions from the City of New Bedford and the investment will be offset by revenue generated by users of the terminal.

The terminal is ideally suited for the burgeoning offshore wind industry in the United States as it is located in proximity to areas along the East Coast that are under consideration for offshore wind development. The federal government is leading an offshore wind permitting and leasing process in nine states, including Massachusetts, along the Atlantic Coast. That process is expected to lead to the construction of multiple projects, many of which could make use of this first-in-the-nation facility.

America’s best offshore wind resource is in New England, however, it is a substantial distance from our current offshore oil infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico. A purpose built facility in the Northeast is necessary to handle the heavy loads and demanding logistics of commercial scale offshore wind projects.

“Cape Wind applauds the Commonwealth’s development of the multi-purpose marine facility. The port will bring marine commerce and jobs to New Bedford for years to come, and will contribute to the development of a robust offshore wind industry,” said Jim Gordon, President of Cape Wind.

“Offshore wind will create many good paying jobs in this region, and New Bedford will play a major role in this new green jobs economy. The state’s investment in New Bedford is critical to this effort,” said Jeff Grybowski, CEO Deepwater Wind.

“I would like to applaud Massachusetts for achieving a significant milestone towards completing the New Bedford Marine Terminal,” said Erich Stephens, Executive Vice President of Offshore MW. “This infrastructure investment will help provide the foundation for a new industry that will put many more to work for years to come, and will combat the climate change that is already impacting the entire East Coast. Thanks to the vision of Governor Patrick and many other officials in Massachusetts, New Bedford will soon be an American offshore wind success story, and help launch the US offshore wind industry.”

“EDF Renewable Energy supports the expansion of the New Bedford Terminal as part of Massachusetts’ offshore wind development efforts. This expansion is another great example of Massachusetts’ leadership in renewable energy. We applaud these efforts to spur job creation and support clean energy,” said Jim Shretter, VP at EDF Renewable Energy.

“Fishermen’s Energy applauds the joint efforts today of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the City of New Bedford leadership to make significant investment in expanding the New Bedford port,” said Daniel Cohen, Chairman of the Board of Fishermen’s Energy. “Fishermen’s Energy is committed to working with State and local officials to assure that opportunities for growth in both the fishing industry and the offshore wind industry are to the greatest extent compatible to assure sustainable fisheries along with renewable energy.”

Offshore wind is the largest potential source of clean energy for Massachusetts, and its development can create a significant new industry here in the Commonwealth. The U.S. Department of Energy projects 43,000 clean energy jobs will be created in the offshore wind industry nationally by 2020. Massachusetts expects to play a large role in this industry.

The EPA authorization comes following a public hearing held in New Bedford in July 2012.

As part of this process, the Commonwealth submitted data relating to environmental resource impact assessments and environmental mitigation measures.

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton McDevitt today announced the release of the construction bid for the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal.

The announcement closely follows the project’s environmental approval on Nov. 19 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Once constructed, the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal will be the first facility in the nation designed to support the construction, assembly, and deployment of offshore wind projects. The terminal will also be able to handle high-volume bulk and container shipping, as well as large specialty marine cargo. As part of construction, the project includes the dredging and removal of 244,600 cubic yards of contaminated sediment caused by industrial waste generated during the 1930s and 1940s, a significant environmental benefit to the City of New Bedford. The first of its kind in North America, the terminal has been engineered to sustain mobile crane and storage loads that rival the highest capacity ports in the world.

Bids are due by Jan. 23, 2013. Construction is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2013 and be completed in 2014.

“The development of an offshore wind industry in Massachusetts will not only create jobs but provide an abundant local source of clean and reliable energy,” said Barton McDevitt. “This is another significant step toward the construction of a first-in-the-nation facility, which will establish Massachusetts as the hub for offshore wind development along the East Coast.”

“Today’s announcement is further demonstration of why New Bedford will be the birthplace of offshore wind energy in North America,” said New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell. “No other port enjoys the same competitive advantages: proximity to the natural resource, a deep-water harbor, a major state financial commitment, federal regulatory approvals, strong community support and a qualified labor force with two-hundred years seafaring experience.”  

The terminal, which will be located inside New Bedford Harbor and protected by the hurricane barrier,  will be in close proximity to offshore wind planning areas along the East Coast that are under consideration for development. The federal government is leading an offshore wind permitting and leasing process in nine states, including Massachusetts, along the Atlantic Coast. That process is expected to lead to the construction of multiple projects, many of which could make use of this first-in-the-nation facility.

Learn about the specific construction elements of the project. 

Offshore wind is the largest potential source of clean energy for Massachusetts, and its development can create a significant new industry here in the Commonwealth. The U.S. Department of Energy projects 43,000 clean energy jobs will be created in the offshore wind industry nationally by 2020. The Patrick-Murray Administration set the ambitious goal of reaching 2,000 megawatts of wind energy in Massachusetts by 2020. This goal is part of Governor Patrick’s nation-leading support for clean energy policies aimed at reducing reliance on foreign sources of energy, cutting energy costs and use, while cutting harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center requests that companies seeking to bid or have inquiries regarding the bid process to contact Apex Companies, LLC attention Christopher Morris, PE; 125 Broad Street, 5th Floor; Boston, MA 02110 or by telephone at (617) 728-0070 or via e-mail at cmorris@apexcos.com.