Massachusetts announces $155 million in renewable energy projects

Massachusetts announces $155 million in renewable energy projects(By Jon Anderson via The Examiner)Massachusetts announces $55 million in Renewable Energy and power projects.

An additional $100 million for private sector Renewable Energy projects

that are shovel ready within 120 days was also announced. Governor Deval

Patrick as part of his Massachusetts Recovery Plan to secure the state's

economic future, awarded nearly $22 million under the Stimulus Bill to

support renewable power and energy efficiency projects at state owned

buildings in Massachusetts. $5.5 million was previously awarded . The $22

million announced last week by Patrick is half of the $55 million

Massachusetts will receive from the U.S. Department of Energy 's State

Energy Program (SEP). Nationwide, the Energy Department's SEP Program, as

it is known, totals $3.1 billion to address state energy priorities. The

Massachusetts SEP plan calls for investing in public solar power and energy

efficiency projects that will create thousands of new jobs while reducing

fossil fuel use and Greenhouse Gases."The Commonwealth is ready to use these funds to put Massachusetts

companies and residents to work on projects that are vital to Governor

Patrick's plan for a clean energy future," said Energy and Environmental

Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles. "In doing so, we will help state agencies

make smarter energy decisions and put Massachusetts on track to quickly

triple the level of solar power currently installed in the state."The Massachusetts State Energy Plan (SEP) consists of three parts: $20

million for a Massachusetts Solar Stimulus program to install photovoltaic

systems at publicly owned facilities such as Logan International Airport,

Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, state colleges and universities,

state housing authorities and public facilities such as the Boston

Convention Center; $20 million for a Massachusetts Building Energy

Transformation effort to fund proposals that demonstrate innovative ways to

significantly improve energy performance in public and private buildings in

Massachusetts; and $14.9 million directed to an Energy Efficiency for State

Facilities program that will accelerate a 5 year pipeline of more than $200

million of energy efficiency projects at state facilities and begin them

within 18 months.The Massachusetts Building Energy Transformation effort focuses on

improving energy performance in buildings as a way to build in long-term

reductions in energy use. The state will award funding competitively for

projects that move Massachusetts toward development of zero net energy

buildings, in keeping with recommendations of the Governor's Zero Net

Energy Building Task Force.The Massachusetts Solar Stimulus program will develop at least 16 Megawatts

of new solar power through SEP funding helping the state achieve Governor

Patrick's goal of 250 Megawatts of solar power by 2017. When Patrick took

office Massachusetts had 4 Megawatts of installed solar power. Today

Massachusetts has 11 Megawatts of solar power generation with another 7

Megawatts planned. In addition to the 16 Megawatts planned through the

Stimulus Bill, another 5 Megawatts of solar power is aimed at water

treatment facilities.Clearly, the Obama Stimulus funding is reaching Massachusetts residents and

communities quickly and reducing Greenhouse Gases, energy use, stimulating

the economy, and creating much needed job opportunities across

Massachusetts.For the latest renewable energy jobs across Massachusetts, The U.S. and

globally please click here