Baker Highlights Offshore Wind as Economy Builds Back From COVID

HYANNIS – Governor Charlie Baker and Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides recently highlighted the importance of continued growth for the state’s burgeoning offshore wind industry. 

During the virtual meeting with the Joint Committee on Telecommunications on the emergency bill An Act to Power Massachusetts Clean Energy, Baker said as climate change is felt by communities, 

“We filed this legislation in October 2021 so that we can build on the progress we made together and ensure at this pivotal moment for our economic recovery and environmental movement that Massachusetts has the tools that it needs to remain on the bleeding edge of climate action in the United States,” said Baker.

The legislation would establish the Clean Energy Investment Fund to help support the expansion of clean energy development in the state, including workforce training.

Baker said that up to $750 million from the federal COVID-19 response relief would be provided for the fund.

“Additionally, the legislation also makes several important technical changes to our offshore wind procurement process with a focus on bringing more economic development investment and reliable renewable power to the Commonwealth while continuing to keep energy costs down.”

Local efforts to expand the offshore wind sector include Vineyard Wind, which broke ground on its first-in-the-nation commercial scale wind farm just off the shores of Cape Cod, Vineyard Wind 1, at the end of last year.

The project is located 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, and is expected to generate enough electricity to power 400,000 homes and businesses across the state, as well as save customers $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation.

Carbon emission reduction of more than 1.6 million metric tons per year is also anticipated, equivalent to taking 325,000 cars off the road annually, said officials with Vineyard Wind. 

About Grady Culhane

Grady Culhane is a Cape Cod native from Eastham. He studied media communications at Cape Cod Community College and joined the CapeCod.com News Center in 2019.



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