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The trades big
role in Green and clean economy
The University of Massachusetts/Lowell
prepared a report last December entitled: “Clean Tech -
An Agenda for a Healthy Economy” to help the Merrimack Valley
region engage in the clean technology economy. The Clean Tech
project identified specific economic opportunities within five
areas - safer alternatives, green buildings, emerging materials,
clean energy, and materials reuse. This article addresses an
emerging eco-system of the trades, research and development,
manufacturing and workforce development that is spawning green
building in our region.
While we constantly listen to
stock market reports about the exciting new technologies that
are driving the green and clean economy, the local trades are
quietly playing a key role in this emerging global industry.
All-Pro
Solar, a Division of
All-Pro Electric
in Haverhill, is an electrical contractor who has transformed
into residential and commercial solar installation contracting
over the past couple of years. Its business-savvy President,
Michael Harrington, had the foresight to establish a wide variety
of partnerships, mostly within the Merrimack Valley, to forge
ahead in this brave endeavor that now provides 10% of company
revenues with a projection to double that in the next year. The
company currently has 65 employees.
Dave Turcotte, Senior Program
Manager, Center for Family, Work and Community at the UMASS/Lowell
believes that increasing demand for green building in the Merrimack
Valley is a key enabler to take the green and clean economy to
the next level. And that’s exactly what Mr. Harrington intends
to do. According to the All-Pro President, the value proposition
for going solar is strong. “Now is the time to take advantage
of the generous residential and commercial rebates being offered
as an incentive to go solar. In addition, the government is offering
substantial tax incentives. And you can help protect the environment,”
he said.
So how does an electrical contractor
migrate to solar power, with wind turbines next in line –
by establishing many partnerships. All-Pro installs solar panels
from several manufacturers, including Evergreen Solar of Marlboro,
who recently expanded into the Devens eco-industrial park.
Mr. Harrington also hooked up
with Solectria Renewables of Lawrence that designs and manufactures
premium efficiency, high reliability power electronics and systems
for renewable power generation. Most notably, All-Pro uses Solectria’s
photovoltaic inverter which changes direct current (DC) from
a solar cell array to alternating current (AC), synchronizes
with the public utility grid and feeds the energy back into the
grid. This is very cool stuff - home grown in the Valley.
All-Pro, a fully certified solar
energy installer, established a key partnership with the Massachusetts
Technology Collaborative (MTC) Renewable Energy Trust to leverage
State and Federal government incentives, including State rebates
for small and large solar systems, and State and Federal tax
incentives.
As an example, MTC’s incentives
enabled the rooftop solar installation at Osgood Landing in North
Andover which featured Evergreen solar modules and Solectria’s
inverter. According to MTC, it is expected to produce 117 MWh
of electricity per year and to pay for itself in about 4 or 5
years and will further provide decades of free electricity.
In order for All-Pro to continue
to prosper it must continuously train its workforce to keep up
with green and clean technology trends. It relies very heavily
on vocational schools such as Whittier Regional Vo-Tech and Greater
Lawrence Regional Vo-Tech to be their farm system. In fact, All-Pro
currently employs two interns from each of the schools.
While the Vo-Techs feed the installation
contractors, UMASS/Lowell, Merrimack College and Cambridge College
are pumping out scientists and engineers for research and development
companies like Solectria, and Northern Essex Community College
is preparing the technicians needed in manufacturing companies
such as Evergreen.
With the addition of financiers,
you now have an emerging green building eco-system in the Merrimack
Valley which relies on the trades and companies like All-Pro
that are operating under the radar in the global economy.
Rooftop Solar Panels
at Osgood Landing in North Andover
Photo Credit:
Courtesy of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC). |
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