Boston, MA – The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) announced grants totaling more than $1 million to support eight new wind energy projects under the Commonwealth Wind Community Scale Wind Initiative.
“These grants will help communities and public and private entities across the Commonwealth reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, cut their emissions, and contribute toward Governor Patrick’s goal of 2,000 megawatts of wind power by 2020,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles, who serves as chairman of MassCEC’s board of directors.
MassCEC also announced that the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) a national nonprofit organization that works with public funds and state agencies to advance clean energy technologies, projects, and markets, has awarded MassCEC’s Community Scale wind program a State Leader in Clean Energy (SLICE) award at its annual conference in Washington, D.C. CESA’s SLICE awards recognize state programs that are most effectively accelerating adoption of clean energy technologies and advancing energy markets.
The awards announced today include two design and construction grants totaling more than 5 megawatts (MW) in capacity, and six feasibility studies for wind energy that would total roughly 17 MW in capacity if built. The eight grants go to private and public projects, including cities and towns. The Commonwealth Wind Community Scale Wind initiative is a program of MassCEC’s Renewable Energy Generation division, which is funded by renewable energy charges on electric bills, generating approximately $23 million a year to support renewable energy installations and companies.
“The Community Scale Wind program proves that we can help communities lessen their dependence on fossil fuel through responsibly-sited wind projects,” said MassCEC’s Executive Director Patrick Cloney. “It is a great honor to receive national recognition for our success through CESA’s SLICE award.”
The wind projects receiving design and construction grants are in Plymouth and Cohasset. The five projects receiving feasibility awards will support efforts in the towns of Westport, Gloucester, Petersham, Blandford, and Amesbury, and a Springfield Water and Sewer Commission project that will be on a combination of publicly-owned land in Blandford, Russell, Tolland, or Granville.
Following Commonwealth Solar – the first MassCEC program defined by technology type – Commonwealth Wind is MassCEC’s grant program that supports wind energy projects. Commonwealth Wind’s Community Scale supports wind projects of at least 100 kilowatts in size; its Micro Wind program provides rebates for the installation of wind projects less than 100 kilowatts, typically for residential, small commercial or agricultural sites.
The goal of the Commonwealth Wind Incentive Program is to assist responsibly-sited wind energy projects of all scales in achieving successful and timely installations, while also supporting Governor Patrick’s goal of having 2,000 megawatts (MW) of wind power capacity installed in the Commonwealth by 2020.