Whaling City Information - - PATRICK ANNOUNCES NEW MANUFACTURING PLANT FOR EVERGREEN SOLAR, PLAN TO BOOST CLEAN ENERGY & JOBS

Apr 17 2007

PATRICK ANNOUNCES NEW MANUFACTURING PLANT FOR EVERGREEN SOLAR, PLAN TO BOOST CLEAN ENERGY & JOBS

Written by Press Release; Office of Governor Patrick

Tuesday, 17 April 2007

Incentive and financing package, state policy commitments, and path-breaking alliance with utility make Massachusetts ripe for growth

BOSTON – Tuesday, April 17 – Governor Deval Patrick today announced that, with state assistance, Marlborough-based Evergreen Solar Inc. will build a manufacturing plant located in Westborough. This expansion will result in 350 to 375 new jobs – more than doubling Evergreen Solar’s current Massachusetts employment. “I’ve said all along, if Massachusetts can get clean energy technology right, the world will be our customer,” said Governor Patrick. “Evergreen Solar is one of the companies that’s going to help us get clean energy right. I am proud that my economic development and energy and environmental affairs teams were able to help Evergreen Solar grow and thrive right here in Massachusetts, and give us a head start toward building a clean energy economy.”

Also key to the development of solar power as a clean energy source and an industry in Massachusetts is a first-in-the-nation partnership between a manufacturer of solar photovoltaic products and an electricity distribution utility announced today. Evergreen Solar and NSTAR have announced an alliance that will combine Evergreen Solar’s photovoltaic technology with NSTAR’s expertise, capabilities, and customer relationships for a new model of solar market development. Utilities National GRID and Western Massachusetts Electric have also entered into discussions about forming similar relationships with Evergreen Solar.

“We are most appreciative of Governor Patrick’s efforts in creating the conditions that made sense for us to expand in the place where we got our start,” said Richard Feldt, president and chief executive officer of Evergreen Solar. “Governor Patrick’s vision for broad scale solar adoption through an innovative solar incentive program as well as the creative financial incentive programs the state had to offer influenced our decision to expand in Massachusetts. Finally, the Governor’s efforts to encourage utilities to use their substantial infrastructure to improve solar market delivery should help us close the gap between solar and conventional energy costs.”

“This program with Evergreen Solar will expand renewable energy choices for our customers by making solar installations more accessible and affordable,” said Thomas J. May, NSTAR Chairman, President and CEO. “Customer interest in clean energy options is growing, and we are committed to offering them an increasing number of options to choose from.”

Today’s announcement at Evergreen Solar’s Marlborough Science and Technology Center highlighted three key developments:

Evergreen Solar’s $150 million manufacturing plant, to be built in Westborough, adjacent to the campus of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC). A $44 million financing package put together by the Massachusetts Office of Business Development includes $23 million in grants to the company and its host community, $17.5 million in low-interest loans from public and private entities, and $3 million in savings from a low-cost 30-year lease of state-owned land.
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A first-in-the-nation alliance between a solar manufacturer and an electric utility, with NSTAR agreeing to help Evergreen Solar identify prospective solar customers and to provide its customers with information on solar power, along with referrals to reputable installers and potential sources of financing.
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A commitment by the Commonwealth to aggressive goals for installed solar power generating capacity – from roughly 2 MW today to 250 MW by the end of 2017 – by strategic use of renewable energy funds and new regulatory incentives for solar power adoption by residential, commercial, and industrial customers.

“Today marks a major step on the road to our clean energy future,” said Governor Patrick. “I am proud to share this day, and this road, with my friends at Evergreen Solar and NSTAR.”

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Comments

Jusst John's Opinion
Written by Jlnewbdford 1 on 2007-04-18 23:05:32

I've said it all before in other articles and postings. We have been shortchanged again. The reigning Governor came to New Bedford to announce a worthless promise to bring the train by 2016. Forget that I personally don't think that Train is going to deliver anything worthwhile. We have far more than we can handle, already. It will bring (if it ever starts traveling in this direction) more of the same which has been directed here in the past 30 years.

More depressed and unemployed.
More Section 8, almost homeless individuals who will bring their inflated housing allotments.
More to increase the cost of living and price of apartment rents.

We need that Train like we need more Non-Profits.
We need that Train in the same fashion we need more Illegal Aliens.
Do we really need more individuals without U S Citizenship to steal more social security numbers?
Do we really need more Illegal Aliens to drive more uninsured State of Rhode Island registered motor vehicles on our streets?
Do we need more Illegal Aliens to commit more violent crimes and take more sponsored by our government and supported by our tax dollars, paid for by hard working American Citizens JOBS, Medical benefits, and educational opportunities?

All in the name of what?
All in the name of "Campaign Promises"... Which are never kept!
But, sucker the American Citizen voters in every election season!

Be it the New Bedford School Committee Members and their "junkets", or the City Council and their do nothing but look good on Cable Access T V... or, sorry Scott...
Our "won by a landslide Mayor...
Who seems to have forgotten that it took hard working, dedicated American Citizens to bring this Nation to it's "Greatest in the World" status. Sure, Immigrants helped, but they were Legally here in their soon to be new homes. The entered correctly and didn't steal,k lie, cheat and deprive Americans of their rightful liberty and pursuit of happiness.

We need to find leaders who will do the will of the people.
Not those who do what they think is best.

This is a Democratic Republic, darn-it! It's NOT supposed to be a dictatorship, or a Socialist Tyrannical rule by the whim of the dollar. Or a government with purchased rules and regulations from the wealthiest of the largest lobby consisting of former elected officials holding patronage positions.
We need to wake up those younger in our midst and teach them to pay attention and vote with common sense and not politically motivated by patronage obligations.

Just John's Opinions are his own and may be shared freely.

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