Nuvera Fuel Cells

Over the past week, a couple of events occurred that show the growth in importance of the Cleantech industry to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. First, on May 16, the Boston Business Journal (BBJ) distributed a special publication entitled “Sustainable Boston” where among other articles, a ranking of the area’s largest Cleantech employers was compiled.

I am happy to report that according to the BBJ, Nuvera Fuel cells ranks as the ninth largest employer in the clean technology industry in the Commonwealth, and the only fuel cell company to make the list of the Top 25.

A few days later on May 20th, the Speaker of the House of Representatives for Massachusetts, Sal DiMasi, filed a bill that would invest $13 million a year for the next five years in the new Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center to help fund research at clean energy companies, invest in startups, and train high school and college students for the next generation of “green collar” jobs.

According to the Lowell Sun newspaper, the speaker’s bill would invest $5 million a year into research at clean energy companies throughout the state and provide $500,000 in grants to entrepreneurs in other business sectors to create a broader expertise of available clean energy technology.

Massachusetts is second only to California in its investment in clean technology companies, and with this new bill and focus on the Cleantech sector, the Commonwealth is signaling that it intends to compete for the title of the Cleantech capital of the United States.

Representative Niki Tsongas organized an event on Monday titled “Green, Clean and Sustainable – Economic Development for the 21st Century. 

At the meeting, which attracted about 75 people, she spoke about her desire to partner with green energy companies in the fifth districtof Massachusetts, to do what she can to help companies like ours grow both in market share and in employees.  An interesting bon mot that she offered to the audience: the green sector in Massachusetts employs over 14,000 people!  She also offered “As we seek solutions to our nation’s energy crisis, there are several innovative employers right in our backyard that are producing the alternative energy technologies which will help limit our foreign oil dependence and the harmful effects of climate change, while simultaneously creating outstanding green collar jobs for residents of the Fifth District.  The Merrimack Valley is fertile ground for the further growth and development of these jobs and this economic development conference that I am hosting will bring together job creation and environmental experts with leaders in our communities to discuss the steps that should be taken in order to encourage the further growth of this industry in our region.”

Bill Mitchell, our vice president of sales and marketing, participated in a panel titled “Green in the 5th – what did it take?” discussing Nuvera’s move last June from Cambridge to Billerica. On the panel with Bill were other area leaders in the solar, power electronics, and filtration industries.  The general consensus was that Massachusetts is a great place to live, and to attract and find talented people due to the numeraous universities inthe area.

The keynote speaker was Secretary Ian A. Bowles, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affiars who among other points of discussion, hinted at an upcoming clean energy bill that would be announced in the Commonwealth - more to come on this issue soon!.