On Saturday, October 26th, people will gather at Blackburn Industrial Park to visit the wind turbines and celebrate clean energy at “Family Fun Day.” Games, tours of the wind turbines, green energy info, and even “trunk or treat” with several electric cars models will be free and open to the public from 10am-1pm, rain or shine (we have tents)!
Since they were erected in 2011, the wind turbines have become a part of the Gloucester skyline and are a symbol of Gloucester’s ability to plan for the future. Two of the three wind turbines are a result of a public-private partnership between the City of Gloucester and Equity Industrial Partners. But Gloucester’s residents do benefit from them. How?
To answer the question, it makes sense to step back and learn more about renewable energy development. The developer of a wind turbine project can sell two assets in order to make their project profitable. First, and obviously, electrons – either directly to the utility or in the form of “net-metering credits,” which are cheaper than electricity and give the buyer credits toward electric bills. The City of Gloucester receives net-metering credits from the turbines, which add up to a major discount on municipal electric bills. The City of Gloucester has saved nearly $2 million on electricity since the turbines came online in 2013.
Second, and not so obviously, a developer can sell Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). A REC is a record that 1,000 kWh of renewable energy was generated. RECs track location, emissions, source, and timing of renewable energy generation, and serve as a tradable representation of those specific electrons. Why RECs? Since electrons move according to physics, there is no way to “send wind power” to anyone’s home or office. The average person can switch to renewable energy even if they don’t have solar panels on their home by buying RECs. You can’t use electrons twice, so you can’t use RECs, representing those electrons, twice either.
REC sales in New England provide a second crucial income to developers, making renewable energy development viable. This is certainly the case with Gloucester’s turbines. Green Energy Consumers Alliance, a Boston-based non-profit with a mission to speed the transition to a low-carbon future, signed a long-term contract to buy the RECs from the two turbines, retiring them on behalf of their Green Powered members. According to Sumul Shah, a development partner, “This contract was critical to the turbine’s success.”
In early 2019, Gloucester took the next step in making green energy accessible to its residents: Community Electricity Aggregation. Gloucester works with a competitive electricity supplier to provide a competitive price and extra renewable energy (RECs from the Gloucester turbines), affordably, to all residents directly on their electric bills. Green Energy Consumers now retires most of the RECs it buys from the Gloucester turbines on behalf of Gloucester residents, who have 19% renewable energy powering their homes instead of just 14% like most of the rest of the state. Residents can even opt up to 100% wind power from their own turbines! And Gloucester hasn’t stopped there, offering more and more green initiatives to help residents save energy, money, and the environment.
Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken said, “The wind turbines and Community Electricity Aggregation are just a few examples of how we in the City of Gloucester are planning for our future and protecting our environment. I am grateful to our residents who have embraced our Gloucester Green initiatives, and join with us in our efforts to save energy and money. While we are a city known for tradition and authenticity, we have always been able to adapt and look toward the future. I hope everyone will join us at this great event.”
Join Green Energy Consumers and the City of Gloucester Community Development Department to celebrate these green initiatives at Family Fun Day. Learn more at:
https://www.greenenergyconsumers.org/familyfundaygloucester
https://business.facebook.com/events/474686169925916/
Don’t forget to
• Bring the kids in their costumes for “trunk or treat!” While you check out electric cars on display, the kids can trick or treat!
• See a super cool electric police car!
• Stop by the wind turbine for a tour.
• Play games and enjoy free cider & donuts, or grab lunch from food trucks on-site.
• Learn about what makes Gloucester a clean energy leader and how you can get involved.
• Bring your electric bill and we’ll help you “opt-up” to 100% clean energy from the wind turbines.
Good Morning Gloucester 