Innovator

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Commissioner Mark Sylvia today announced extending the deadline of Round 1 of the Solarize Massachusetts Program (Solarize Mass®) to Oct. 31, citing high demand for the solar group buying program.

The program, originally scheduled to end Sept. 30, is designed to increase the adoption of solar energy and further reduce the overall cost of solar power by offering residents and businesses discounted pricing for solar.

The more people who sign up, the greater the savings are for everyone.

“For the third year in a row, we’re seeing residents and business owners flock to the Solarize Mass program, responding to the economic and environmental benefits solar electricity provide,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan.

To date, residents and businesses in the 10 participating communities – Bourne, Brookline, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Lee, Medford, Medway, Newton, Northampton and Williamstown – have signed 269 contracts for solar electricity systems with a capacity of 1.9 MW of clean, renewable energy.

“Extending the deadline will ensure everyone in these communities has the opportunity to take advantage of this program, which serves as a national model,” said Barton. “We’re pleased with the response so far and expect the number of signed contracts to increase dramatically during October.”

“This solar incentive program has driven the rapid growth of solar generation in Massachusetts. Programs like Solarize Mass bring that growth to the local level and make it more affordable for residents and businesses to adopt clean energy,” said Commissioner Sylvia. “This extension will allow more residents in these communities to get on board and join the tremendously successful clean energy revolution in Massachusetts.”

The installers participating in the Solarize Mass program –Cotuit Solar, E2 Solar, Real Goods Solar, Second Generation Energy, SolarFlair and SunBug Solar– have agreed to extend the program deadline by one month in all 10 communities.

Residents and businesses interested in participating should visit their community’s page at www.solarizemass.com for details on their local program.

In the first two years of the Solarize Mass program, 21 cities and towns participated in the program, contracting more than 900 solar electricity systems with more than 5.5 megawatts of solar energy capacity.

MassCEC and DOER recently announced they will be accepting applications from communities interested in participating in the next round of the Solarize Mass program. Communities looking for an application or more information can visit the program website.

Through programs like Solarize Mass, Massachusetts reached Governor Patrick’s ambitious goal of installing 250 megawatts of solar electricity capacity four years earlier than the 2017 deadline.

At an April event commemorating the achievement, Gov. Patrick announced a new goal of installing 1,600 megawatts of solar capacity by 2020. Once the goal is reached, solar electricity systems across the Commonwealth will generate enough electricity to power 240,000 average Massachusetts homes.

Clean energy jobs in Massachusetts have grown by 11.8 percent from 2012 to 2013, according to the 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report.

Contact: Heather Johnson, Bonnie McGilpin, Juli Hanscom – 617-725-4025

Governor Deval Patrick today announced that clean energy jobs in Massachusetts grew by 11.8 percent between June 2012 and June 2013, the second year of double digit growth. Over the past two years, clean energy jobs have grown by 24.4 percent with 5,557 clean energy companies now employing 79,994 workers across the Commonwealth.

The results of the 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report were announced today at the Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems.

“Building a clean energy future is central to our growth strategy, and another year of double digit job growth is proof that our strategy is working,” said Governor Patrick. “We pursue our clean energy agenda because we cannot leave our future to chance. Our clean energy industry is putting thousands of our residents to work in every corner of the Commonwealth, catalyzing economic development and creating a healthier Massachusetts for the next generation.”

The job growth over the past year is eight times faster than the overall three percent growth rate among all industries combined in the Commonwealth over the same period.

“The Patrick Administration’s commitment to proactive clean energy policies, coupled with access to private capital and a skilled, educated workforce create the basis for the strong job creation numbers we see in this report,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan.

All four geographic regions of the state saw an increase in clean energy employment over the past 12 months. The South Coast experienced the most growth, with jobs increasing 14.3 percent from 2012 to 2013.

“Massachusetts remains a top destination for innovation, including clean energy innovation,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki. “Supporting this sector, which is providing good jobs to residents throughout the state, will help us continue to grow our economy and maintain our competitive edge as a Commonwealth.”

The report for the first year directly counts jobs within the solar industry, with more than 8,400 workers spending at least 50 percent of their time supporting solar energy businesses. This growth follows on Massachusetts’ success in building a robust solar market. This year, Massachusetts reached the Patrick Administration's 2017 goal of 250 megawatts of solar installed four years early. To keep this sector thriving, Governor Patrick recently established a new goal of 1,600 megawatts of solar installed by 2020.

More than half of the Commonwealth’s 5,557 clean energy firms are classified as small businesses, meaning they have five or fewer full-time employees. The overwhelming majority of job creation over the past year came from new entrants into the sector, including clean energy startups.

Larger, more established and global companies have also shifted into the clean energy market and added to the industry’s growth in recent years. Firms like FedEx, Gillette and Shell, which recently opened an office in Cambridge focused on harnessing local innovation, have made clean energy part of their strategic investments.

“The dramatic influx of new firms and the growth in small companies in the industry show the success we’ve had in growing this sector from the ground up,” said Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton. “Our investments in internships and job training, bringing technologies to the marketplace and infrastructure projects are driving this growth and creating jobs across the Commonwealth.”

For the second straight year, manufacturing and assembly jobs rose, this year by 20.6 percent. Clean energy engineering and research jobs grew by 32.4 percent.

“The remarkable growth in Massachusetts’ clean energy industry in recent years proves that the combination of forward-thinking clean energy policies and a strong innovation economy is the right model for sustainable economic growth,” said New England Clean Energy Council President Peter Rothstein.

The 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report, which includes a breakdown of company and employment data by technology sector and geographic region and information on workforce trends, was prepared for MassCEC by BW Research Partnership.

"The Massachusetts clean energy sector's continued growth highlights the importance of leveraging innovative entrepreneurs and research universities and the importance of informed consumers that provide strong demand for clean energy goods and services all across the Commonwealth," said the report's author, Philip Jordan of BW Research Partnership.

Please visit this animated map of clean energy installations across the Commonwealth.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) today announced the second round of the 2013 Solarize Massachusetts (Solarize Mass®) program is now accepting applications from cities and towns interested in participating.

“This bulk purchasing program has saved residents and businesses money, while aiding in the Patrick Administration’s goal of creating local jobs and expanding our use of home-grown energy sources,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan. “We’re excited to find the next round of Solarize Mass communities.”

The program – designed to increase the adoption of solar energy and further reduce the overall cost of solar power – offers residents and businesses discounted pricing for solar. The more people who sign up, the greater the savings are for everyone.

“The momentum around this program has been building since it was launched in 2011,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton. “Community-by-community, we’re working with local leaders and volunteers to spread the word on the economic and environmental benefits of solar power.”

The program is open to all Massachusetts communities, including those designated by DOER as 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.

“Solarize Mass continues to fulfill the desire of so many individuals, businesses and communities to be part of Massachusetts’ clean energy revolution,” said DOER Commissioner Mark Sylvia. “This program provides the pathway to do that in a smart, engaging way that benefits them and future generations at the same time.”

The program is open to all Massachusetts communities, including those designated by DOER as Green Communities, a designation made by DOER to cities and towns that meet five clean energy requirements. By statute, those requirements include adoption by the municipality of "as-of-right" siting and expedited permitting for renewable energy projects."

The first round of the 2013 Solarize Mass program is underway now in 10 communities: Bourne, Brookline, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Lee, Medford, Medway, Newton, Northampton and Williamstown.

Individual cities, towns and groups of contiguous municipalities can apply for the second round by downloading a request for proposals and applying by Oct. 22.

MassCEC and DOER expect to select at least eight communities or groups of communities to participate in this round of the program.

In the first two years of the Solarize Mass program, 21 cities and towns participated in the program, contracting more than 900 solar electricity systems with more than 5.5 megawatts of solar energy capacity.

Through programs like Solarize Mass, Massachusetts reached Governor Patrick’s ambitious goal of installing 250 megawatts of solar electricity capacity four years earlier than the 2017 deadline.

At an April event commemorating the achievement, Gov. Patrick announced a new goal of installing 1,600 megawatts of solar capacity by 2020. Once the goal is reached, solar electricity systems across the Commonwealth will generate enough electricity to power 240,000 average Massachusetts homes.

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton today announced more than $300,000 to assist four incubators as part of the Patrick Administration’s support for clean energy startups across the Commonwealth.

“Supporting our innovative start-up culture is critical in maintaining our edge in creating the clean energy jobs of the 21st Century economy right here in Massachusetts,” said Governor Patrick. “By sticking to our strategy of investing in education, innovation and infrastructure, we are shaping our own future, rather than leaving it to chance.”

The grants, funded as part of MassCEC’s IncubateMass program, will assist in the day-to-day operations of these incubators, which provide early-stage clean energy companies with affordable office space, targeted business support services and resources that include mentorship, specialized equipment, professional services like human resources or legal assistance, educational series and/or information technology networks and hardware.

“These incubators are an important part of the Patrick Administration’s efforts to grow the clean energy economy and support innovation in Massachusetts,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan, who chairs MassCEC’s Board of Directors. “Incubators accelerate the development of clean energy startups, allowing these early-stage companies to cultivate their technologies and grow their businesses, creating jobs and building a foundation for success in the marketplace.”

“We are always looking for ways to reduce barriers faced by early-stage companies as they look to take their promising technologies from the laboratory to the marketplace,” said Barton. “Assisting incubators create more opportunities for startups to drive cutting-edge clean energy innovation right here in Massachusetts.”

Programs receiving funding under the program are:

• Greentown Labs (Somerville) - $190,000 – Greentown Labs, which recently moved to Somerville from Boston’s Innovation District, hosts 28 cleantech organizations with about 100 employees.
• North Shore InnoVentures (Beverly) - $60,000 – North Shore InnoVentures (NSIV) hosts three clean energy startups in its Beverly office space, plus an additional six member clean energy startups who have access to mentoring and other services. The nine cleantech startups employ 33 workers.
• Advanced Technology Manufacturing Center (Dartmouth) - $30,000 – The Advanced Technology Manufacturing Center (ATMC) at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth hosts two early-stage clean energy startups, employing four workers.
• Scibelli Enterprise Center (Springfield) - $20,000 – The Scibelli Enterprise Center at the Springfield Technology Park hosts three clean energy startups, employing six workers.

Incubators help new companies establish their technologies and grow their businesses, helping to expand a clean energy job market that is already on the rise in Massachusetts.

From 2011 to 2012, clean energy jobs rose by 11.2 percent. There are 5,000 clean energy companies in Massachusetts that employ 72,000 workers.

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton today announced MassCEC will begin accepting applications for the fall session of the 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Internship Program. The program provides paid internship opportunities for college students and recent graduates at Massachusetts-based clean energy companies.

For the fall session, MassCEC will provide Massachusetts-based clean energy companies with stipends of up to $12 per hour for up to 10 weeks for each full-time intern, with a cap of $2,400 per intern.

Clean energy businesses interested in hosting a student can find out more information and students and recent graduates can apply to the program by visiting the program page.

Companies interested in participating can complete an employer application form.

Students and recent graduates can fill out an intern application form.

Since 2011, the program, a partnership between MassCEC and the New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC),  placed 328 students and recent graduates in internships at more than 110 clean energy companies across the state. As a result of the internship program, 40 students gained full-time and part-time employment at their host companies.

During this summer’s internship round, a record number of 125 companies and 914 students and recent graduates applied to the program.

Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan joined Congressman Joe Kennedy and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton today to announce more than $457,000 in grants to fund clean five energy science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs across the state.

The grants, funded as part of MassCEC’s Workforce Capacity Building Program, will aid projects that help build STEM skills in students and boost the number of high school graduates pursuing STEM majors in college.

“The rapid expansion of Massachusetts’ clean energy industry is bringing fresh opportunities for job growth and economic activity across our Commonwealth,” said Congressman Joe Kennedy, who chairs the Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council. “In order to maximize that potential it is critical we have a workforce prepared to seize these jobs. The grants announced today will support innovative partnerships between clean energy professionals, educators and students all geared at making sure we have the human capital to support this promising new industry. On the South Coast specifically, this grant money will allow Bristol Community College to help prepare workers across the region for the opportunities that wind, solar and other green technologies are already bringing to the area.”

“To continue expanding Massachusetts’ clean energy sector, we need to prepare educators and students for the clean energy jobs of tomorrow,” said Secretary Sullivan, who serves as the chairman of MassCEC’s board of directors. “Bringing clean energy professionals together with educators and students will train the next generation of clean energy workers.”

The Workforce Capacity Program provides funding for programs that develop and integrate clean energy- and STEM-related curricula, create practical problem-solving projects to address student skill development; and/or, provide clean energy and STEM-focused career exposure and/or work experience opportunities for both educators and students.

“Massachusetts clean energy companies are looking for qualified employees and this program provides students with the skills they need to compete in this rapidly growing sector of the global economy,” said Barton.

Programs receiving funding under the program are:

• Boston Private Industrial Council $20,000 – The Boston Private Industrial Council will reach out to more than 600 youths through several events, including a Green Career Exploration Conference in the winter of 2014, a Youth Leadership Summit in July 2014 and monthly green jobs seminars with clean energy professionals. 
• Bristol Community College $100,000 – Bristol Community College’s (BCC) Green Center will partner with local high schools, area clean energy companies and government agencies to provide training for STEM educators and guidance counselors to ultimately increase students’ exposure to clean energy career paths through revised curricula and dual enrollment programs, in which high school students are able to take college courses.
• Cape Cod Community College $144,000 – Cape Cod Community College will build a Bridge to College program to serve eligible low income high school seniors enrolled at Barnstable and Dennis Yarmouth high schools who are interested in pursuing advanced studies and careers in the solar energy field. The program will focus on math and renewable energy coursework, hands-on learning activities, lectures on clean energy topics and mentoring and other support services.
• Merrimack Valley Workforce Investment Board $50,072 – The Merrimack Valley Workforce Investment Board (MVWIB) will expose students at Lawrence, Haverill and the Greater Lawrence Technical high schools to clean energy job opportunities through workshops, internship opportunities and visits with area clean energy companies. The program will also expose area teachers in clean energy concepts.
• Northeastern University $143,000 – Northeastern University will build a Dual Enrollment program to serve eligible low-income high school seniors enrolled in the Boston Public Schools. The program will allow 30 students to participate in a Northeastern University credit bearing clean energy course as well as assist students with passing Advanced Placement (AP) high school mathematics courses. The program is designed to increase student interests in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and to increase student confidence to succeed in College.

Programs also engage clean energy industry in the classroom by providing dual enrollment programs that allow high school students to take college courses, offering high school internships for low-income youths and developing activities and practical laboratories for applied science in the clean energy field.

Clean energy jobs are on the rise in Massachusetts. From 2011 to 2012, clean energy jobs rose by 11.2 percent. There are 5,000 clean energy companies in Massachusetts that employ 72,000 workers.