WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Delahunt joined with U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman and Governor Deval Patrick to announce that Massachusetts has been chosen as a site for a National Renewable Energy Laboratory Wind Technology Testing Center.

“The establishment of this facility will further Massachusetts’ leadership role in the development of renewable energy technology and is an important step in the expansion of the United States’ wind energy industry,” Delahunt said.

Over the past year, Delahunt has lead an effort with the support of the Massachusetts Delegation to urge the Bush Administration to establish this facility which will become a leading center for large wind blade testing in North America. It will be located in Charlestown at the Boston Autoport. The facility will be capable of accessing the structural integrity and durability of commercial wind turbine blades of up to 230 feet in length.

The testing facility is one component of an overall strategy developed by the Commonwealth, with help from the University of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, to boost the wind energy industry in Massachusetts and to also compete successfully in the development of new deepwater offshore wind energy systems.  The United Kingdom and Germany have been international leaders in developing this highly competitive sector of the renewable energy industry and are already building test facilities and have approved a number of larger scale projects.

In a meeting with DOE officials last month, Delahunt touted Massachusetts as a regional center for economic development in the field of renewable energy.  “With the Commonwealth’s highly skilled workforce along with some of the world’s premier research institutions, projects like this can help us leverage significant business investment and create an important boost to our region’s economy,” Delahunt said.

The United States Department of Energy will provide $2 million in capital equipment and technical assistance as well as staff support to certify and launch the facility. The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative will provide more than $13 million through the Renewable Energy Trust for construction and start up costs for the center which will eventually become self-sufficient. 

Delahunt has outlined several proposals for ocean energy research and development zones to boost wind, tidal and wave energy development in Massachusetts.  He has advocated several local and national initiatives to boost use of renewable or “clean” fuels, as well as a number of community based wind energy projects. He has noted the widespread interest in towns such as Plymouth, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Barnstable, Eastham, Norwell, and Nantucket.

To view the delegation’s letter to urge the development of this facility in Massachusetts, please click here.

To read Delahunt’s press release from March of 2007 which announces the decision to choose Massachusetts as a finalist, please click here.

To read a press release from Governor Deval Patrick’s office, please click here.

For a copy of this press release as a pdf file, please click here.

For a copy of this press release as a Word document, please click here.

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