Clean Power Blog

A Prize for an Idea

Lindsay McCallum

Communications Fellow

Dec 17, 2014

It’s a good time to be a student or clean energy innovator – but it’s a great time to be both.

On Dec. 2, 2014, MassCEC hosted the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Clean Energy Prize (CEP) Boston kickoff event at our office in Downtown Crossing. The event brought together the organizing team of the CEP, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, past winners and students eager to participate.

The MIT CEP gives university students from across the United States the opportunity to compete for over $300,000 in prizes. A student-organized business plan competition, the CEP focuses on three tracks for entries: Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy and Infrastructure & Resources. Student teams with ideas or technologies in these fields are encouraged to participate.

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Mapping Wind Energy in Massachusetts

Matthew Dwyer

Commonwealth Wind Fellow

Dec 16, 2014

With the recent completion of a wind turbine project at the Lynn Water and Sewer Commission, Massachusetts is now up to 107 megawatts of installed wind capacity, enough to power more than 32,000 average households here in the Commonwealth.

Now you can learn about the Lynn project and others in an interactive map we've created to allow users to explore wind projects in Massachusetts. Simply click on any wind turbine to see an overview of the project, including details such as the height and power generation capacity, and support the projects have received from MassCEC.

In 2006, there were only about 3 megawatts of wind power installed in Massachusetts. Today there is over 107 megawatts installed at 130 projects across the Commonwealth with more projects expected in the future.

Through our Commonwealth Wind Program, MassCEC has played an integral role in helping these projects come online by providing technical services, loans, and grant funding to projects in various stages of completion. These projects encompass turbines of all sizes, ranging from micro scale to commercial scale, and are owned by public and private entities.

As wind energy becomes more popular here in the Commonwealth, MassCEC will continue to help developers and communities assess sites, fund promising projects and keep the turbine blades spinning.

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Warm Up, Save Money This Winter

Peter McPhee

Renewable Thermal Director

Dec 9, 2014

Electricity prices are increasing dramatically this winter season, with residential rates jumping by 29 to 37 percent across most of the Commonwealth.

These soaring rates are directly hitting the wallets of families, particularly those who use traditional electric heating to warm their homes in the winter.

To help alleviate these costs, the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) has committed $1 million in rebates for residents who install high-efficiency air-source heat pumps, which use outdoor air temperatures to heat and cool homes and buildings.

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