HISTORY
Founding of Vineyard Power
In the face of widespread concern about the future of the island, the Martha's Vineyard Commission facilitated the preparation of the Martha's Vineyard Island Plan. The purpose of the Island Plan was to chart a course for a future the Vineyard community wants, and to outline a series of actions to help navigate that course. The Plan was adopted in December 2009 by the Martha's Vineyard Commission.
The Plan called for strengthening our island economy through increased energy autonomy (or energy self-sufficiency) that would ensure that locals benefit from community-scale solar energy production and utility-scale offshore wind projects, while enabling a more balanced and diverse year-round economy that offers higher paying jobs and more opportunities for people who grew up here to stay or return.
As a response, Vineyard Power was formed in 2009 by a group of islanders to organize and influence the Vineyard’s transition to a renewable energy future including energy efficiency and renewable generation initiatives that were recommended in the Island Plan.
At first our organization aspired to own an offshore windfarm for the island community; however, the size and scale of offshore wind development and federal regulations made the prospect of developing and owning an offshore wind farm unfeasible. Thus, our vision evolved from owning and operating a wind farm to partnering with an offshore wind developer to contractually secure the attributes and benefits of ownership through Community Benefits Agreements: integrating our organization into the outreach and permitting team while securing well paid jobs for our community, investments in island infrastructure to support those jobs, and funds to support an equitable transition from fossil fuels in electricity, heating and transportation.
Solar development
Vineyard Power has successfully developed four commercial scale solar projects on Martha’s Vineyard; ownership of three of our projects has been transferred to the local hosts as originally intended, providing renewable energy at no cost to Aquinnah, Chilmark, and Cronig’s Market for years to come. Explore the dropdown below to learn about our local solar developments:
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In 2012, the construction of the 50 KW Aquinnah Landfill solar array was completed. This array produces enough renewable electricity to power the town’s municipal electrical load. This includes the town offices, police and fire stations, library, streetlights, and public bathrooms. This solar array was one of the first solar installations on a capped landfill in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Ownership of this array has since been transferred to the town of Aquinnah.
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In 2012, the construction of the 210 KW Cronig’s three-canopy parking lot solar array was completed. This array produces over a quarter of Cronig's electricity, which is equivalent to the combined usage of around 35 average Vineyard homes.
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In 2014, the construction of the 100 kW Chilmark Landfill solar array was completed. This array produces enough renewable electricity to power a significant portion of Chilmark’s municipal demand. Ownership of this array has since been transferred to the town of Chilmark.
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In 2016, the construction of the 42 kW MV Boys and Girls Club rooftop solar array was completed. This array produces ~50,000 kWh/year of renewable electricity, which is enough energy to offset 100% of the building's electricity consumption.
Through funding negotiated from Vineyard Offshore and Avangrid Renewables, memorialized in our Community Benefits Agreements, Vineyard Power is continuing its work to enable the development of solar, with or without energy (battery) storage, for government and nonprofit entities to increase affordable local renewable energy production and enhance critical facility resilience.
We gained valuable experience and expertise in the solar industry through these community benefits solar projects. We leverage and share our knowledge of solar energy systems through our No-Cost Solar Consultations.
Vineyard power & Offshore Wind
Offshore wind is the only viable large scale renewable energy resource for Massachusetts. If we intend to meet our climate goals locally, at the state level, and across the globe, we must deploy this resource as rapidly and responsibly as possible.
Vineyard Power has played a significant role with an outsized influence on the development of offshore wind in the United States, and served as a model organization for facilitating community advocacy and engagement to ensure local voices are considered in the development process while also securing benefits for the local community. At the center of our work has always been the recognition that the earth is warming, it’s caused by us, we’re sure of it, it’s bad, but we have the tools to address it.
In 2009, the United States Department of Interior launched the leasing process for renewable energy activities on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore of Massachusetts through the formation of the Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force. Along with members of the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Task Force, which met 14 times and included elected representatives from our six town governments and our elected state officials, Vineyard Power advised BOEM on the acceptable location for wind farm development, i.e. the future Wind Energy Area (WEA), and requested that communities most impacted by offshore wind farm development receive direct benefits from these projects, which have come to be defined as Community Benefits.
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In early 2010, the Department of Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) determined that there were competitive interests in developing commercial wind facilities off the coast of Massachusetts, in an area delineated in consultation with the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Task Force. Based on this interest, BOEM continued with the competitive lease process. Throughout this process BOEM engaged stakeholders and the public to define the potential Massachusetts’ Wind Energy Area (WEA) and specific lease zones for offshore wind farm development.
On May 30, 2012, BOEM designated a Wind Energy Area (WEA), located approximately 12 nautical miles, or approximately 14 statute miles, south of Martha's Vineyard and 13 nautical miles southwest of Nantucket. As a result of the WEA designation, BOEM received several comments and decided to exclude certain areas identified as important habitats that could be adversely affected if ultimately developed with the installation of wind turbine generators. Specifically, BOEM excluded an area of high sea duck concentration, as well as an area of high value fisheries to reduce conflict with commercial and recreational fishing activities.
On November 26, 2014, BOEM announced the publication of the Final Sale Notice (FSN) for a lease sale offshore Massachusetts and the availability of a revised Environmental Assessment for site assessment and site characterization activities in the area.
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In January of 2015, Vineyard Power was designated by BOEM as a Community Based Organization and soon thereafter signed the nation’s first offshore wind Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with Vineyard Wind, New England Wind 1, and New England Wind 2. In implementing the CBA, Vineyard Power has engaged in all aspects of the development and permitting process, ensuring that community feedback was incorporated into the project and that the community received timely updates as the project advanced. During the process, Vineyard Power has engaged frequently with tribes, fishermen, educational institutions, NGOs, other community members, and countless other stakeholders in and around the project area. The CBA brings specific value from offshore wind farm development to the islands and the region, including local job creation, the construction of an operations and maintenance facility on Martha’s Vineyard, and investments to help us achieve our local climate goals.
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On January 29, 2015, in a competitive auction held by BOEM, Vineyard Wind’s predecessor organization won the rights to develop offshore wind projects in federal lease area OCS-A-501. Lease area OCS-A 0501 was subsequently segregated twice. Orsted’s predecessor organization won the rights to develop OCS-A-500. Lease areas OCS-A-502 and OCS-A-503 went unsold during the lease sale.
In December 2018, BOEM held a competitive lease sale (i.e., auction) for the portions of the Massachusetts WEA that were unsold on January 29, 2015, specifically lease areas OCS-A 0502 and OCS-A 0503. The WEA was auctioned as three leases: OCS-A 0520, OCS-A 0521, OCS-A 0522. The auction lasted 32 rounds. Equinor was identified as the winner of Lease Area OCS-A 0520, Southcoast Wind was identified as the winner of Lease Area OCS-A 0521, and Vineyard Offshore was identified as the winner of Lease Area OCS-A 0522.
On May 15, 2024, the New England Wind project was segregated into two leases, New England Wind 1 (OCS-A 0534) and New England Wind 2 (OCS-A 0561).
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Each lessee submitted a Site Assessment Plan (SAP) for specific lease sites and submitted a Construction and Operations Plan (COP) to be reviewed and approved by BOEM ahead of construction. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was conducted to evaluate both the positive and negative ecological impacts from the project.
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In April 2019, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities issued an order approving long-term contracts for 800 MW of offshore wind between Vineyard Wind and the Commonwealth’s Electric Distribution Companies. These contracts aimed to spur economic development along the coast, ensure a resilient energy future for the Commonwealth, and secure progress towards greenhouse gas reductions. Additionally, in these contracts, Vineyard Wind committed to contributing $15 million to a fund that will invest in projects designed to promote the use of battery storage and promote the development of energy storage systems across Massachusetts. These funds were also used to reduce the electricity cost for income eligible households on Martha’s Vineyard. According to Governor Charlie Baker, “The approval of these contracts is an important step toward the completion of the largest offshore wind project in the country, which will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide Massachusetts residents and businesses with cost-effective clean energy, and promote economic development.”
“This approval by the Department of Public Utilities ensures that this project offering competitively priced and locally produced offshore wind energy to the Commonwealth can move forward,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “A lot of folks on the Vineyard are well aware of the Vineyard Wind team creating their new home on the Vineyard, their commitment to wanting to make sure this first, largest-in-the-nation offshore wind development not only delivers in a cost effective way, but in a socially and environmentally responsible way that really took it to the head of the crowd,” he said.
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In 2019, Vineyard Power partnered with Vineyard Wind to establish the Resiliency and Affordability Program (RAP). The Program will be a $7.5 million fund, with annual contributions of $500k per year over 15 years, in an effort to develop energy (battery) storage and solar projects on Martha’s Vineyard to enhance resiliency of the Island’s critical facilities and to provide rate payer assistance benefits to income-eligible ratepayers by reducing their utility costs.
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Construction of the Vineyard Wind project began in 2021 with the development of the onshore sub-station located in Barnstable. Offshore construction began in early 2022, including laying the cable that will connect the project to the grid at the Barnstable substation, installing the offshore substation, and erecting the turbines. The project plans to have 62 turbines when completed, generating enough electricity to power 400,000 homes on Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Cape Cod, and beyond. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) has determined that the Vineyard Wind project will save Massachusetts ratepayers $3.7 billion, which equates to about $200 in yearly savings per ratepayer. The full economic benefit on the island from the Vineyard Wind project has been estimated at over $200 million over the life of the project. This new clean energy sector will require a technical workforce and will diversify the island economy by providing new employment opportunities for Vineyard residents.
Project Updates
Community Empowerment
Community Empowerment was a proposed enabling piece of legislation aimed to pair developers of renewable energy projects with local communities wanting to stabilize energy prices and purchase more renewable energy than is mandated by the Commonwealth.
The idea for this legislation started with Vineyard Power and a simple premise: those who live on the Cape, Islands, and South Coast – those nearest to the development of offshore wind – should have the opportunity to buy, use, and benefit from the power that will be generated off their shores. From 2015, Vineyard Power championed this bill and worked with our elected representatives at the statehouse and with state agencies before the legislation was successfully implemented in the 2022 Massachusetts climate bill, “An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind,” and substantiated in the 2024 climate bill, “An Act Promoting a Clean Energy Grid, Advancing Equity, and Protecting Ratepayers.” The latter required DOER, in consultation with the Mass Clean Energy Technology Center, to issue technical guidance on this matter no later than June 1, 2025. That guidance was released in its Offshore Wind Municipal Aggregation Technical Guidance.
This guidance document explains how municipal aggregations could pursue contracts for offshore wind electricity today under existing contract and procurement structures, while recognizing the challenges and limitations of this process. Additionally, the guidance describes a possible pathway for greater municipal involvement in offshore wind contracts in the future through alternative procurement structures, as proposed in Governor Healey’s Energy Affordability, Independence, and Innovation Act.
Energy Transition Program
In support of our island’s democratically adopted 100% renewable resolutions, Vineyard Power, in partnership with the Vision Fellowship, launched the Energy Transition Program in 2022. The Program aims to raise awareness through education and to support residents, small businesses, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), government entities, and the building trades in the transition towards a 100% renewable energy economy through energy efficiency and electrification.
The Energy Transition Program supports a fossil fuel free Martha’s Vineyard across five main areas of focus: energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, strategic electrification, resiliency, and equity.
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In 2023, Vineyard Power and the six island towns were selected by the Cape Light Compact to be a Community First Partner in the Mass Save program. The Community First Partnership leverages Vineyard Power’s local knowledge and trusted relationships with our island towns to increase participation in Mass Save energy efficiency and electrification programs. This initiative also focuses on our identified Priority Groups renters, landlords, income-eligible households, language-isolated households, and small businesses to ensure the benefits of energy efficiency are more equitably distributed, particularly among those who have been historically underserved. The Energy Transition can only be successful if everyone is able to participate. Our goal is to ensure that no one is left behind in the transition.
For more information regarding Mass Save and to begin your energy efficiency and decarbonization journey, book a coaching session with a Vineyard Power Energy Advocate.
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Coaching sessions focus on building envelopes, mechanical systems, electric vehicles, solar, and income eligible ratepayer assistance programs. All our coaching services are offered in English and Portuguese. These initiatives are important to improve education about the energy transition in general and increase participation in Massachusetts-specific programs to both drive the transition forward and secure savings for residents. In addition, our organization implements a robust educational curriculum and work study program for island students regarding climate change, renewable energy technology, energy efficiency, and career pathways that are instrumental in effectuating the energy transition away from fossil fuels.
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Achieving the island’s goals also depends on developing a well-trained and diverse workforce that will locally implement the renewable energy transition and provide new career opportunities for islanders. The need for certified professionals, such as electricians, HVAC technicians, solar technicians, energy specialists (i.e., HERS raters), offshore wind technicians, mariners, and decarbonization advocate-coaches, is increasingly pressing.
Vineyard Power has collaborated with Adult & Community Education (ACE) MV, an organization that works to empower year-round Vineyard residents by providing equitable access to higher education, workforce training, community-building, and career navigation support. This collaboration began in 2019 with ACE MV offering Offshore Wind Technician Certification programs at the MVRHS in partnership with Bristol Community College.
ACE MV continues to offer clean energy seminars, including the Intro to Clean Energy Career Pathways Seminar, which provides information about foundations of electricity, renewable energy, building performance, HVAC, and more.
Today
Today, Vineyard Power is continuing work to reach the Vineyard’s 2040 goals for 100% renewable energy, which parallel the Massachusetts’ goals for 100% renewable by 2050. In striving to reach these goals, we continue to identify and advocate for renewable energy resources, while simultaneously pushing for development of the necessary infrastructure to handle those resources.
We continue to help residents and small businesses participate in energy efficiency programs, which provide rebates and subsidies to better insulate buildings and transition away from fossil fuels. A particular focus is on supporting Priority Groups, which include low and moderate-income individuals and families, English-isolated residents, and those who live in Environmental Justice communities. These communities have historically been barred from engaging meaningfully in the energy transition, but the transition can only be successful if everyone is involved.
Our goal is to push the energy transition forward and ensure no one is left behind in the process!
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