Through the Commonwealth Wind Incentive Program – the Commercial Wind Initiative, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) offers grants up to $55,000 for feasibility studies for commercial wind projects (2 MW or greater) that will serve the whole-sale energy markets or for projects that do not qualify for net metering but provide on-site use. MTC is the administrator of the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust (RET), the state's clean energy fund. There is a separate
loan program available for pre-development activities under the Commercial Wind Initiative.*
The Commercial Wind grants are available for generating facilities 2 MW and greater. Projects must owned by commercial, industrial, institutional (including not-for-profit), or public entities served by one of the investor-owned electric distribution utilities in Massachusetts -- Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light (Unitil), Massachusetts Electric (National Grid), Nantucket Electric (National Grid), NSTAR Electric, or Western Massachusetts Electric. In addition, customers of any Municipal Light Plant (MLP) Department that pays into the RET are also eligible (see MTC's
website for additional information on which MLP's have joined the RET). Furthermore, applicants must have and demonstrate site control (meaning that they have legal control of the project site, through executed agreement or selection to enter into an agreement). Finally, the projects must utilize commercially-available wind technology and the wind resources (average annual wind speed) must be at least 6 meters per second at 70 meters above actual ground level.
Only applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be evaluated. Furthermore, applications will be evaluated on the thoroughness of prior "fatal flaw analysis," the business plan, community acceptance (preliminary assessments), work plan structure, risks identification and strategy for overcoming those, development team expertise and experience, financial analysis, level and type of cost-share and potential benefits to state ratepayers.
Project activities eligible for funding generally include analyses evaluating technical, economic, environmental and/or regulatory feasibility of a proposed wind generating facility. Funding may not be used for any site prospecting activities. Examples of eligible activities include: facility sizing and configuration determination, wind resource assessment, technical evaluation (energy production estimates, transport/delivery of turbine components, civil works requirements), environmental analysis, community impact analysis, among others. The details of eligible activities are provided in the solicitation on the website. Grant awardees will be subject to specific project and reporting requirements. The Awardee and MTC will engage in a kickoff meeting, the MTC will approve the Work Plan, and the Awardee must provide deliverables including quarterly progress reports, final project report, and respond to MTC requests for information.
Applications must be submitted according to MTC format guidelines, both hard copies and electronic copies are required. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and awards are made approximately every four months. Round 1 Applications are due October 26, 2009; Round 2 Applications are due January 15, 2010; Round 3 Applications are due May 14, 2010.
*
Developers cannot apply for both the grant and the loan during the same round.
