Committing $15m to make Massachusetts the center of the offshore wind industry.
The Vineyard Wind Project presents a historic opportunity to ignite the Massachusetts supply chain and workforce. Vineyard Wind is committing $15 million in three initiatives that will build a skilled offshore wind workforce centered in southeastern Massachusetts, attract additional investment in infrastructure and supply chain development, and advance technologies that will allow for greater expansion of offshore wind, while continuing to protect marine mammals.
OffShore Wind Industry Accelerator Fund: $10 million
Vineyard Wind is committing to invest up to $10 million in projects and initiatives to accelerate the development of the offshore wind supply chain, businesses, and infrastructure in Massachusetts. Launched this year, the Fund will attract investments to upgrade or create new facilities or infrastructure needed to develop the offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth. Vineyard Wind is proposing that the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center manage the fund, working with a steering committee of regional economic stakeholders to guide investment decisions.
Examples of possible investments by the Offshore Wind Industry Accelerator Fund include expansion and improvement of ports available to support offshore wind construction, supporting the establishment of offshore wind manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts, or supporting the development of technologies that will improve the capability to deploy offshore wind on the US East Coast.
Vineyard Wind will work with supply chain companies eager to participate in the US’s first offshore wind project to identify opportunities for investment in local infrastructure or facilities. By working with supply chain companies in this way, Massachusetts will be able to leverage both the Industry Accelerator Fund, along with the purchasing power of the first offshore wind project in the US to attract significant investment in the state's new offshore wind industry, and do so in a sustainable way such that ratepayers and future projects will benefit from this initiative for years to come.
Windward Workforce: $2 million
The Windward Workforce program will recruit, mentor, and train residents of Massachusetts, particularly southeast Massachusetts, for careers in the Commonwealth’s new offshore wind industry. These programs will ensure that Massachusetts is able to provide the workforce needed for the first - as well as all future - offshore wind projects in the US. The experience gained from working on the first commercial offshore wind project in the US, Vineyard Wind, will be invaluable in launching careers in offshore wind for Massachusetts residents. The ultimate objective of the Windward Workforce program is for Massachusetts to have the best trained, most experienced offshore wind workforce in the US.
The Windward Workforce program will be undertaken in partnership with vocational schools, community colleges, the Fishing Partnership Support Services, and others. The Windward Workforce program includes a number of initiatives and company policies, including:
LOOK LOCAL FIRST
Vineyard Wind and all major contractors will actively seek Massachusetts residents as candidates for every position. First tier supply companies will also actively seek proposals and bids from Massachusetts companies. Through this policy, Vineyard Wind will ensure that Massachusetts businesses and residents have full access to new business opportunities related to the Vineyard Wind project.
These opportunities will be promoted in the Massachusetts business community via a series of “Meet the Buyer/Employer” events, local Chambers of Commerce, social media, and through the Vineyard Wind website. To support this policy, Vineyard Wind will include very specific obligations for contractors both in the tendering and in the contract execution phase.
MARTHA'S VINEYARD WIND WORKING WATERFRONT
Vineyard Wind has set for itself the goal of 100% of its operations and maintenance staff being Martha’s Vineyard residents within five years of the project being operational.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN OFFSHORE WIND
Vineyard Wind will fund curriculum development and instructor education for courses in “Offshore Wind 101” and other applicable subjects at local vocational schools, high schools, and community colleges within host communities.
SPECIALIZED TRAINING
Vineyard Wind will coordinate and fund curriculum development and specific training programs, such as globally recognized certifications for offshore wind technicians, and component OEM certifications. These training programs and courses will be done in partnership with community colleges, such as Bristol Community College and Cape Cod Community College, as well as OEMs, organizations such as the Fishing Partnership Support Services, and labor unions.
Vineyard Wind will implement a mentoring program, within its own organization and with its contractors, to ensure skills and know-how are brought to Massachusetts through the Vineyard Wind project, so that evermore Massachusetts residents are qualified and ready to build the next offshore wind projects around the US.
marine mammals and wind Fund: $3 million
The Marine Mammals and Wind Fund will fund development and demonstration of innovative methods and technologies to enhance protections for marine mammals as the Massachusetts and US offshore wind industry continues to grow. Developing such protections is important to ensure the sustained, unfettered growth of the US offshore wind industry, while also maintaining effective protections for marine mammals.
In order to grow the US offshore wind industry while maintaining marine mammal protections, further development of installation technologies and methodologies are needed. Investments by the fund will be guided by a steering committee which will include representatives of environmental advocacy groups with particular expertise in the field of marine mammal protection.