Renewable energy industry fueling state's job growth
BYLINE: By Matt Murphy
BOSTON -- Massachusetts has been called the bluest of the blue states.
But it's starting to turn green.
The renewable energy industry is poised to become the 10th largest job sector in the Commonwealth, surpassing the textile industry that was once a staple in the region. While textiles are losing jobs at a rate of about 5 percent a year, the emerging "clean energy" cluster is expected to grow 20 percent annually, adding to the 14,400 jobs already in the state.
"It's a growth industry because we have some of the right makings for it to be successful. We have universities generating the technology leading to start-up companies. Secondly, we have a skilled technical workforce. And, third, we have a heritage in the clean energy sector," said Warren Leon, director of the Renewable Energy Trust.
A new report published by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative details the job potential in the clean energy market. The state has added 116 new renewable energy companies, mostly small start-ups, since 2001, adding to the cluster's ranks, which now total 556 companies statewide.
The clean energy cluster is expected to add more than 2,800 in the next year pushing it past the textile industry, which now employs 15,400 people statewide.
A high concentration of these jobs and companies are locating in the Merrimack Valley and Interstate 495 corridor, replacing the high tech computer and networking companies that fueled the economy as few as 10 years ago.
Central Massachusetts, however, has been slow to latch on the trend, according to Leon. He said growth of renewable energy jobs in this region has been much slower than elsewhere in the state, based on the population of the region in and around Worcester.
"Central Massachusetts is relatively weak. It looks like they haven't capitalized yet," Leon said. "It's clearly an area of job growth in the future, and will be an important part of the Massachusetts economy," he added.
Collaboration with state colleges and universities, such as the University of Massachusetts, has also played a key role in attracting renewable energy jobs to the state, building off the research being done in the state.
Leon and others also gave a lot of credit to the state government and Gov. Deval Patrick's administration for creating a welcoming environment for renewable energy companies by taking a number of steps to encourage these entrepreneurs to start-up or grow exisiting businesses in the state.
In addition to working to streamline the permitting process for these manufacturing companies, Patrick has also signaled that the state will be a willing partner to help create a market for their products and secure federal grants and research funding.
Patrick took the lead working directly with Evergreen Solar Company to encourage that firm to undertake a major expansion at Devens. He also convinced the federal government to pick Charlestown as the location for a major wind turbine testing center.
"From day one, he made it clear he was going to embrace this industry. He caught on very early," said Robert Halpin, president of the Merrimack Valley Economic Development Council.