Massachusetts Wind Working Group

Mission

• Promote smart and successful wind energy development in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Identify barriers and opportunities related to the development of wind energy.
• Develop a strategic plan to support the creation of good wind projects.
• Promote the public understanding of modern wind power, and its benefits and impacts
• Create linkages between wind energy and other sectors to foster job creation and economic development in Massachusetts

Scope

Both small (residential/farm), and community and commercial-scale projects are included

Participants

• The Wind Working Group is open to any interested party that supports the group's mission.
• Stakeholders in Massachusetts wind power, including: DOE/NREL, DOER, DTE, ISO-New England, utilities, RERL, environmental groups, developers, and farming and rural interests
  

About Wind Working Groups

• The US Department of Energy's Wind Powering America (WPA) supports over two dozen Wind Working Groups around the country.
• WPA offers a Wind Working Group source book

Previous Meetings

Meetings are open to the public.

• Formation meeting minutes, Mar 7, 2005, in Boston
• Friday, April 1st, , MTC in Westborough, Agenda Minutes.
• Wednesday, May 11, Mass DOER., Boston, Minutes
• Wednesday, June 8, 2005, UMass Amherst, MA., Agenda , Minutes, including activities of the 5 Subcommittees
• Wednesday, September 28, 2005, National Grid USA. Agenda, Minutes
• January 18, 2006, Mass Division of Energy Resources, Boston: Agenda, Minutes
• May 31st, 2006, Location: Waltham, Minuteman Wind. Topic: Recent Installations in Massachusetts: Mass Maritime & Hull Wind II. Agenda. Minutes.
• August 29, 2006, at the Mass Division of Energy Resources. Subject: Cooperative Development of Copenhagens offshore wind project, a presentation by Jens Larsen, engineer and organizer of Middelgrunden, the cooperatively owned offshore wind power project in Copenhagens harbor. He also offered us some more material, including this more technical presentation on operations &  maintenance, and this article on Middelgrunden Wind farm and this one on local financing of wind projects.  Minutes.
• Nov 9, 2006, at UMass Amherst. Topic: Policy Options for Renewable Energy Incentives: the view from Europe, by Dr. Jim Manwell, PhD, Director of the UMass Renewable Energy Research Laboratory. Followed by an open house at the Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, with a demonstration of RERLs SODAR mobile wind resource monitoring equipment (Sonic Detection and Ranging device).
• Feb 21, 2007, at Mass Bay College, Wellesley. Topic: Utility Interconnection of Wind Power, with speakers: Sally Wright, UMass RERL; Henri Daher, National Grid; David Forrest, ISO New England; Fran Cummings, MTC's DG Collaborative; Ed Kremzier, National Grid; George Aronson, CommonWealth Resource Management Corporation. Minutes.
• Tour of ISO New England control room: Mar 28,2007 in Holyoke.
• Wed, May 30, 2007 at Mass Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay.
  Subject: Birds, Wind and Energy  with speakers:                
  • Mass Audubon scientist Taber Allison on the current research on avian/wind interaction, including the broader context of climate change and habitat impacts of fossil fuel use.
  • And Dr. Lucy Vlietstra, Marine Science professor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, presented her findings on "Potential Impact of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Wind Turbine on Common and Roseate Terns."
  • Afterwards, MMA's Rick Gurnon offered a tour of their 660-kW Vestas V47, installed last Spring.
• Wed, Sept. 26th at UMass Boston. The Commonwealth's New Direction for Wind Power; Policy, goals, strategies, programs & permitting
  Speakers: Philip Giudice, DOER, and Greg Watson & David Cash, EOEEA
  Governor Patrick envisions Massachusetts taking the lead in renewable energy. Three key policy makers in the states new office of energy and environment will join us to speak about implementing this vision:
  
  • Philip Giudice, Commissioner of the Division of Energy Resources (DOER)
  • David Cash, Undersecretary for Policy, at the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA), and
  • Greg Watson, Senior Advisor for Clean Energy Technology at the EOEEA, and Vice President for Sustainable Development of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative
• Tuesday, January 22nd 2008, at the Mass Division of Energy Resources. Topic: The Green Communities Act

Subcommittee Meetings

• Community Wind Support: Tuesday, Nov 22, 3pm, at RW Beck in Framingham. Contact Paul Cleri for directions.
• Policy: Contact Keren Schlomy or Jack Wiggin for details.
  • Monday, Nov. 21, at MTC in Westborough. Minutes
  • Wednesday Jan 11, 2006, 10 am 12 pm at UMass Boston, Minutes
  • Thursday Jul 27, 2006, 9:30 am, at UMass Boston Healey Library, 11th Floor, Agenda
• Education and Outreach: TBA. Contact Richard Lawrence or Nancy Nylen for details.
• Utility and ISO: Currently inactive.

For More Information

Contact Lynn Di Tullio at the Renewable Energy Research Lab: 413-545-4359