March 24, 2025 — The state’s alternative energy agency won’t be putting up a building to house a renewable energy research and development center on the New Bedford waterfront, but will pursue the work by other means, an agency official said on Friday.
Months after plans stalled in the City Council in the face of local opposition to the proposed waterfront location, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center is shifting course, due in part to questions about the Trump administration, which has expressed opposition to alternative energy.
The new endeavor called the Ocean Innovation Network Initiative will use existing companies and develop the city waterfront to cultivate ocean-related alternative energy technologies, including but not limited to wind power.
“Ocean innovation is poised to be a major economic driver for the South Coast and we are grateful for the City of New Bedford’s collaboration throughout the evolution of this important project,” Bruce Carlisle, MassCEC’s managing director of offshore wind, said in a statement released Friday morning.