Wind Energy

18 wind energy projects receive $2.66 million in grants from Massachusetts Clean Energy Center

“These grants will allow communities and institutions to reduce their use of fossil fuels, as well as help the Commonwealth reach Governor Patrick’s goal of developing 2,000 megawatts of wind power capacity by 2020,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles, who serves as chairman of MassCEC’s board of directors.

The MassCEC board of directors approved the grants totaling more than $2.66 million. Today’s awards include design and construction grants for six new wind farm projects totaling more than 12 megawatts (MW) in capacity, and 12 feasibility studies for wind energy that would total more than 23 MW in capacity if built.

The 18 grants go to public and private projects, cities and towns, and the Massachusetts Military Reservation. 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 roughly $23 million a year to support renewable energy installations and companies.

“Through the Community Scale Wind Initiative, the MassCEC supports the installation of wind turbines for private and public institutions as well as studies to determine the feasibility of wind power in additional locations,” said MassCEC’s Executive Director of Renewable Energy Generation Carter Wall.

The six wind farm projects receiving design and construction grants are in Scituate, Nantucket, Florida, Boston, and at the Massachusetts Military Reservation on Cape Cod. Awards for the 12 feasibility studies go to the towns of Douglas, Duxbury, Hamilton, Swampscott, Millbury, Weymouth and Winchendon, the cities of Gloucester and Fall River, and private developers in Savoy, Cohasset and Westminster.

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 Initiative supports wind projects of at least 100 kilowatts in size; its Micro Wind Initiative 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.

masscec.com/masscec/file/Feasibility%20Study%20Grants.pdf