“This is a proud moment for our city”

The closure of polluting power plants is a welcome boost to the health of our planet, and a project in Massachusetts is providing additional benefits with its plans for the future.

Crowley Wind Services is converting a former oil and gas power plant into a renewable energy hub, with development work set to begin in August.

The work will help support construction of offshore wind farms in New England and the development of a floating wind turbine in the Gulf of Maine, according to Offshore Engineer magazine.

In addition to providing pollution-free energy to Massachusetts residents, the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal project will create numerous jobs during the construction phase and will do the same once completed.

“I’m so excited to finally see the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal go from an idea to a reality,” Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said, according to OE Magazine. “During my tenure, it became clear that Salem, with its rich maritime heritage and vibrant community, was the natural choice to become a major offshore wind hub. Now, as we confront pressing environmental challenges and drive local economic growth, it’s inspiring to see Salem leading the way. This is a proud moment for our city, and I’m honored to witness our vision come to fruition.”

Old power plants that used polluting fuels are perfect for retrofitting with green technologies. Most are already able to share the energy they generate with the grid, and many existing technologies can be used for sustainable energy production.

This reduces the need to develop an area from scratch, which can strain resources and allow these projects to get up and running much faster. Meanwhile, the reduced need for construction work reduces the production of planet-warming gases from heavy equipment during the process.

Similar projects have been completed or are in the planning stages across the United States. In Nevada, for example, a former coal-fired power plant now houses the state’s largest battery energy storage system. In nearby California, a former oil field could soon be converted into a geological thermal energy storage facility.

According to the Energy Information Administration, 62% of total electricity generation in 2022 came from polluting fuels (including coal and natural gas), biomass, and municipal and industrial waste. All of these elements have polluting potential. With temperatures rising due to man-made pollution, the use of renewable sources such as wind power is essential to slow the rate at which temperatures rise and reduce citizens’ energy bills.

Projects like this one in Massachusetts can help us achieve that, charting a course toward a much cleaner world.

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