On May 11, the Biden-Harris administration approved the 800-megawatt (MW) Vineyard Wind energy project off the coast of Massachusetts, the first of its kind of this scale. A second 800 MW to serve Massachusetts customers, Mayflower Wind, is advancing through permitting reviews, and four companies are currently preparing bids for a third offshore wind energy project, or projects, totaling an additional 1,600 MW in response to a request for proposals (RFP) from Massachusetts electric utilities. Clearly, a major shift in energy production is coming and with it comes significant opportunity for Massachusetts residents.
According to MassCEC’s 2018 Massachusetts Offshore Wind Workforce Assessment, two 800 MW offshore wind projects will create between 6,878 and 9,852 job-years during the development and construction phase of the projects. A job-year equates to one year of work for one person. After completion of the projects, operations and maintenance needs will create an additional 964 to 1,748 job-years.
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) has been actively preparing for this boom. In 2019, MassCEC awarded six organizations grants to spark workforce training and development for offshore wind. In 2020, an additional nine grants were awarded. On March 8, MassCEC issued a new RFP specifically targeted at increasing inclusion and diversity in the offshore wind workforce by funding and developing programs that would enable those from underserved populations around Greater Boston to train for and access jobs in the growing sector.
Many of the forward-thinking workforce development training organizations around Greater Boston are excited by the potential that this new sector brings. George Lumpkins, Program Manager of the Green Automotive Maintenance Skills (GAMS) diesel technician training program at Asian American Civic Association (AACA), sees a clear pathway. “My diesel tech grads have many transferable skills needed by the OSW sector. This could be a great additional pathway for us to take someone that’s near homeless or underserved and point them towards long-term self-sufficiency and bright future.”
Lumpkins pointed out though that bringing diversity to the offshore wind projects faces some serious obstacles. “It’s expensive down there [in Cape Cod]. You’re asking them to move away from their family and friends or to give up 3 or 4 hours a day to drive down and back. Some of my recent diesel grads were offered really good starting pay at great companies, but an hour commute made some turn down the offers. Think they’ll go out twice as far?”
“If you want to spread the wealth and getthe offshore wind technicians from underserved areas like Roxbury or Lowell, the companies or the State, someone, has to step up and help with innovative approaches.”
Peter Hurst Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council agrees. Hurst, along with other advocates and companies including the Environmental League of Massachusetts, met with the four bidders on the third project to promote the development of this new job sector as an opportunity to increase diversity and inclusion in the workforce while countering the racial wealth gap suffered by Black, Latin, and Asian residents.
“The numbers at play are so large…we cannot accept the usual song and dance of not being able to find someone [diverse]…. The basic premise is that you need to look at opportunities in the pre-operating phase and operating phase. Look at opportunities in the operators and contractors. Look at who you hire to do the projects, but also those doing the technical support, in the C-suite.”
Hurst envisions a playing field that enables minority-owned businesses to break into this new sector. He hopes that these businesses can buy other businesses already in this sector, a sector that “people of color have not played in.” Without a framework to promote this though, there are significant barriers. He highlights, for example, that “the ship to take the turbine out to sea costs in the billions, and there is also a $500,000 non-refundable fee to apply for the permit.”
He also points out that this framework does not just increase diversity and inclusion. “You’re not doing people of color a favor, you’re doing your company a favor.”
According to the McKinsey & Company’s Diversity Wins report, the third of such reports, companies that focus on ethnic and cultural diversity for the executive teams were 36% more likely to have industry-leading profitability. Hurst believes this will be reflected in the offshore wind sector if the industry commits to diversity and inclusion on all levels.
“A simple proposition – make it easier for people to purchase this energy, the product. If the companies increase wages in the community served [by hiring them], it makes it easier for the customers to afford,” posits Hurst.
The American Clean Power Association gives a voice to many of the major companies in the renewable energy industry, including General Electric, the producer of the turbines for the Vineyard Winds project. Michele Mihelic, Senior Director for Policy and Regulatory Affairs of the Clean Power Association stated that, “The American Clean Power Association (ACP) is dedicated to the development of the renewable energy workforce. While ACP is only 6 months old, we have a dedicated workforce development committee that is focused on developing career pathways to ensure there are numerous successful opportunities for qualified candidates. We continue to develop partnerships and relationships with communities at all levels to increase the pool of talented workers as the offshore wind industry begins growing in the U.S.”
Photo courtesy of Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
