Hull Wind

The town of Hull, Massachusetts is located on a peninsula in Boston Harbor. Its population is about 10,500, which increases to over 16,000 during the summer vacation season. Electricity is supplied to the residents by the Hull Municipal Light Plant (HMLP), a municipally owned utility. Annual average power consumption is approximately 6 MW (corresponding to an energy use of approximately 53,000 MWh/yr). HMLP purchases most of its electricity at wholesale from the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC).

Hull has a long history of land-based wind energy use, beginning at least 200 years ago, when wind was used to produce salt. The site of Hull Wind One was referred to as “Windmill Point” as early as the 1820’s. In the 1980’s, the town’s first electricity-producing wind machine was installed, a 40 kW Enertech machine. Today the town continues to look for ways to make the best out of their windy location, with proposals for more wind power. The community now has two wind turbines operating. It is currently developing plans –- with extensive community involvement -- for a small offshore wind farm. When this project is completed, the town will get most of its electricity from renewable sources.

I have joined with the United States Department of Energy in recognizing the town of Hull as a national model for energy independence through the use of renewable energy. I have also urged other municipal leaders to initiate similar efforts.

For more information, please click here for a report on the status of the project by Dr. James Manwell of the Unversity of Massachusetts.

Useful Links

Please click here for a study from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Renewable Energy Research Laboratory that features Hull Wind as a case study on Community Wind Projects.

Offshore Renewable Energy Technologies:
http://ocsenergy.anl.gov/documents/docs/NREL_Scoping_6_06_2006_web.pdf

New Jersey Develops Deep Water Wind Energy
http://thefutureofthings.com/pod/1176/deep-water-offshore-wind-turbine

Rhode Island Governor Pushes Offshore Wind
http://www.ri.gov/press/view.php?id=7202

Scientific American Article on Deep Water Wind Energy:
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/cars-transportation/offshore-wind-energy-new-jersey-461208

Information on Rhode Island Deepwater Wind Project
http://www.owectower.no/references/index.php