Patrick Administration Announces Funding for Renewable Energy Chair at UMass Amherst
AMHERST – Thursday, August 21, 2014 – Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Maeve Vallely Bartlett today announced $2.5 million to create a new endowed chair in renewable energy at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst’s College of Engineering. The endowed chair will conduct research in the field of renewable energy.
“This funding builds on the Patrick Administration’s strategic investments in innovation, education and infrastructure, not just for today, but for generations to come” said Secretary Bartlett. “The chair will be at the forefront of research in renewable energy innovation, leading to technologies that help the Commonwealth cut our energy use, create jobs and protect the environment.”
The faculty member chosen for the position by a search committee will serve a five-year, non-renewable term in the College of Engineering. Every five years, a new faculty will be drawn to the campus to fill the chair. The College of Engineering has a long history of excellence, particularly in the field of wind energy. Wind Furnace 1 (WF-1) was built at the College, marking the beginning of the modern wind-electricity era. WF-1 is now housed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
“Creating a new, high-profile professorship in renewable energy on the UMass Amherst campus clearly demonstrates our commitment to advancing knowledge of renewable energy and sustainability,” said UMass Amherst chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy. “The linkage with the key state agency that promotes policies in this area for the whole Commonwealth also places UMass Amherst on the front lines of implementing changes that will have lasting and wide-ranging effects. This is an excellent partnership between our College of Engineering and the state government and it will provide benefits far into the future.”
“We are pleased to partner again with the University of Massachusetts to shepherd new ideas in renewable energy,” said Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Acting Commissioner Meg Lusardi. “It is critical that we continue to foster growth in the industry, especially at our academic institutions because the students of today are our clean energy leaders of tomorrow.”
Funding for the chair comes from Alternative Compliance Payments (ACP) through DOER. Electric retail suppliers pay into a fund if they have insufficient Renewable or Alternative Energy Certificates to meet their compliance obligations under the Renewable and Alternative Portfolio Standard programs. As provided in the programs’ regulations, these funds are paid into a segregated account at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, and DOER uses these funds at the discretion of the Commissioner specifically to further the development of renewable or alternative energy in the Commonwealth.
The state support for the endowed chair comes at a time when the University is celebrating its 150th anniversary and its UMass Rising development campaign. As such, the funding will be matched by the University’s Provost to provide an endowed funding source for graduate students and research activities to be used by the endowed chair.
The endowment fund will be held by the University of Massachusetts Foundation and administered jointly by the university and the foundation. Income from the fund will be used to support part of the salary for the professor, funding for graduate students, equipment and other costs of a research program in renewable energy.
The Patrick Administration’s aggressive clean energy initiatives have made Massachusetts a leader in energy efficiency, renewable energy and emissions reductions. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has named Massachusetts number one for three years running. Governor Patrick has set a new solar goal after reaching the previous goal of 250 megawatts four years early. The Commonwealth now aims to install 1,600 megawatts of solar capacity by 2020. The clean energy revolution is yielding economic benefits as well, with 11.8 percent job growth in the last year; nearly 80,000 people are employed in the cleantech industry in Massachusetts.
麻州副州長候選人張禮能八月廿日晚跨進安多福市拜票，強調一旦他當選副州長，將不但締造歷史，努力做事，還會把亞裔的聲音帶進麻州政府高層。
曾在航天太空領域創業，和科技界人常相往來，持有史丹福大學，哈佛大學，麻省理工學院等名校學歷的張禮能，拿矽谷和麻州打比方。他說矽谷和麻州在從頭開到尾，車程約兩小時上，幾乎一樣，但無論是科技或經濟發展，麻州的競爭對象其實是世界各地，而不是矽谷一地，他的科技，亞裔背景，對麻州的未來發展，比其他候選人更有用。
