The Healey-Driscoll Administration, in collaboration with UMass Lowell and Boston University, has launched the Clean Energy and Environment Legacy Transition (CELT) Initiative aiming to boost the clean energy sector and geothermal workforce development in Massachusetts, following Governor Maura Healey’s visit to Ireland, according toCommonwealth of Massachusettsrelease. The Irish trip inspired by the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Centre for Energy, Climate, and Marine (MaREI) model led to the strategic partnership which intends to replicate the model’s success in Massachusetts.
With a funding pool of $5.7 million from the Department of Energy Resources (DOER), the initiative will create a resource center for clean energy integration and equitable climate solutions benefiting from the “remarkable talent of our students,” as Governor Healey emphasized the potential of geothermal energy to meet climate goals, combat rising energy costs and provide long-term savings, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll highlighted the role universities will play to energize local communities and improve the state’s economy by working with cities and towns on decarbonization efforts. Meanwhile, graduate students will be stationed within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Office of Energy Transformation (OET) to enhance the adoption of networked geothermal systems through data policy analysis and support municipalities, as perCommonwealth of Massachusetts.
Rebecca Tepper, Energy & Environmental Affairs Secretary, expressed the administration’s commitment to affordability and effective clean energy solutions, emphasizing that the “first step is about building the workforce and expanding on successful pilot projects in Lowell and Framingham,” as she toldCommonwealth of Massachusetts. The CELT initiative will endeavor to support both state and municipal decarbonization efforts, particularly focusing on community leaders and industries lacking capacity or expertise to undergo green transitions, as well as planning and executing geothermal energy projects in environmental justice communities in collaboration with existing programs like the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) and Green Communities.
In addition to aiding municipalities, CELT is designed to develop a diverse and skilled workforce in the burgeoning geothermal and offshore wind sectors, through workforce needs assessments and establishment of training programs, said Elizabeth Mahony, DOER Commissioner, promising to “maximize our impact and create a sustainable future that serves all communities.” Furthermore, the initiative is set to foster research partnerships with Irish universities, focusing on projects that will lower greenhouse gas emissions and electrical costs, and enable Massachusetts to become a global leader in climate tech. UMass President Marty Meehan and Chancellor Julie Chen, as well as Boston University Provost Gloria Waters, also voiced their commitment to this collaborative effort that has placed Massachusetts at the forefront of sustainable innovation, ensuring that the tools and knowledge imparted through CELT will benefit the Commonwealth locally and echo internationally, according to theCommonwealth of Massachusetts.
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