Neighborhood to Play a Role in Renewable Energy

Charlestown is about to take a seat on the cutting edge of renewable energy.

In May, a wind testing facility will begin operations on the shores of Boston Harbor, in a massive facility next to AutoPort on Terminal Street. It will be the largest facility of its kind — a place where engineers give blades destined for offshore windmills a practice run.

Four years ago the state won a $2 million federal grant to help get the Wind Technology Testing Center off the ground. By May 2009, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Governor Deval Patrick announced $24.7 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the project. The state contributed another $13.2 million in grants and loans for design and initial development expenses and ground was broken in December 2009.

Since then, the project has created 300 construction jobs, as well as a projected 30 design and administrative positions once the center is complete.

Although the Cape Wind project has been making headlines, the decision to bring the plant to the area had more to do with water access than with wind projects in the Bay State.

According to Kate Plourd, communication manager for Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, “the water access is essential [because] the blades tested at the facility can be up to one hundred meters long. [We are] the only facility in the country that can test blades of that size.”

Because the blades are so long, roads alone can’t be relied upon for transporting them. In large part, the blades are shipped by sea for testing. Others will come loaded on the backs of trailers. At the behest of the Charlestown Neighborhood Council, there was a test run of a truck delivery to the site. Last month, a trailer carrying with a blade passed through the neighborhood -- just to be certain it could squeeze around corners and intersections. It was a success, according to officials.

The work of the Wind Technology Testing Center

Plourd clarified that engineers at the facility won’t be testing products for specific wind farms.

“Our customers are the blade manufacturers. They’re American and international companies that need to test their blades,” she said.

When asked about the safety risks inherent in testing blades, which measure hundreds of feet, Plourd explained that the blades are not being tested in the way you would think.

“We don’t have wind turbines spinning around to test the blades. The blades are attached to cylinder blocks that go through different tests. One is a static test where they basically use cylinders and winches to move the blade horizontally and vertically.”

The facility runs static and fatigue tests on the blades, as well as material testing and lighting protection testing. The center will host three test stands and an overhead bridge crane with a 100-ton capacity.

Even with state and federal funds going into the project, Plourd says they have worked side by side with the community of Charlestown to complete this project.

“We continue to work with the community in everything, including the transportation of the blades. We’ve been happy to engage with Charlestown thus far and are happy to be here.”