According to Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has set the goal of making Massachusetts the leader in climate tech. One important step to doing so is the Mass Leads Act, which is increasing investment in the state’s Clean Energy Center and marrying climate and energy strategies to economic development is crucial. However, while Massachusetts is first in climate tech startups per capita and third for total climate patents, the state struggles to retain startups after developing and nurturing them in their early stages, as startups leave to find both greater affordability and regulatory certainty. This presents an opportunity for Massachusetts: to work to bring the cost of living down, as well as to create a stable regulatory environment that supports business.
As the “Bay State,” Massachusetts has a deep connection to its maritime industries, and “bluetech” employs 85,000 people in the state. While sustainable fisheries and transportation are critical to the New England blue economy, Secretary Tepper was especially focused on the future of New England’s bourgeoning offshore wind industry. Despite current national political policy towards offshore wind, she expects the industry to grow in New England, with Massachusetts best positioned to benefit.
Beyond economic growth, Massachusetts is also committed to ensuring the state’s future resilience in the face of environmental threats. In the past year, the ResilientCoasts Initiative, formed with the state, municipalities, businesses, and citizens, was created to protect coastal communities from the threat of more powerful storms and coastline erosion. Another innovative program the state launched seeks to restore salt marshes as carbon sinks.
Secretary Tepper then turned to a critical input for the states’ innovation ecosystem: affordable energy, especially in the face of rising demand from electrification and data center expansion. To protect the state from global energy price fluctuations, Massachusetts is working to build an independent energy system, but Secretary Tepper stressed this would require exploring an “all of the above” energy strategy. With offshore wind facing long build times and policy headwinds, Secretary Tepper pointed to solar as the cheapest form of electricity that could be built quickly and suggested greater energy cooperation with places as far as Canada could provide accelerated paths to reliable energy.
However, any new energy buildout and any expansion of the New England innovation economy will rely on a skilled workforce, which is a challenge for the region. Massachusetts alone needs 34,000 new clean energy workers, which starts with exciting students about STEM fields and trades, like electrical engineering, which makes the clean economy possible.
To conclude, Secretary Tepper had the honor of introducing United States Senator from Massachusetts Edward Markey, appearing via video.
"Marrying economic development with our climate and energy strategies can create jobs and the innovation we need to address our energy and climate challenges."
The Hon. Rebecca Tepper
Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
