DOE and Massachusetts Announce $25 Million for Massachusetts Wind Technology Testing Center
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Governor Deval Patrick announced the Department of Energy's intent to award Massachusetts $25 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate development of the state's Wind Technology Testing Center.
The new center will test commercial-sized wind turbine blades to help reduce cost, improve technical advancements, and speed deployment of the next generation of wind turbine blades into the marketplace.
When selecting Massachusetts for this facility in June 2007, the Department of Energy pledged $2 million for the project. Since then, the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust has committed $13.2 million in grants and loans for design and initial development expenses, working capital, and first year operating expenses.
Construction of the facility can begin in September, and will be complete by the end of 2010. The state is now concluding the final design for the testing center, while DOE completes the environmental review and public consultation process.
Once finished, the center will be the first commercial large blade test facility in the nation, allowing for testing of blades longer than 50 meters, which currently can be done in Europe but not in the United States—putting American manufacturers at a disadvantage.
The location of the testing center, at the Boston Autoport in Boston Harbor, provides a shovel ready site featuring proximity to substantial offshore wind resources, truck access, a rail spur and a 1200 ft. dock for transporting blades from ocean going vessels.
Today's announcement brings the total commitment of Recovery Act funding by the Department of Energy for wind development to $118 million.
In addition to today's announcement, Massachusetts-based companies have been selected to receive approximately $1 million in additional wind funding under a competitive funding opportunity announcement to address market and deployment challenges identified in DOE's 2008 report: "20% Wind Energy by 2030." Award amounts listed below are subject to negotiation:
The Cadmus Group, Inc. (Watertown, MA) - Analysis Tool for Distributed Wind Technologies (Watertown, MA) - $476,831
Consensus Building Institute, Inc. (Cambridge, MA) - Building State Capacity to Advance Wind Energy Through the Best Practices of Collaborative Planning and Siting - $99,785
Power Advocate, Inc. (Boston, MA) - Overcoming Supply Chain Challenges to Wind Power in the U.S. - $100,000
Sustainable Energy Advantage, LLC (Framingham, MA) - New England Wind Energy Education Project - $99,746
University of Massachusetts (Amherst, MA) - Offshore Wind Energy Systems Engineering Course Development - $252,687
