Massachusetts Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force Holds Defense Energy Roundtable
October 18, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Meggie Quackenbush, MassDevelopment, 617-330-2011 & 857-208-2777 (cell)
mquackenbush@massdevelopment.com
The Massachusetts Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force (MASS-TF) held a Defense Energy Roundtable at MassDevelopment today as part of the Department of Defense’s Energy Action Month. The roundtable brought together leaders from Massachusetts’ six military installations, the Department of Defense, academia, and other government and quasi-public agencies. Discussions focused on future trends in energy; strategies to identify and secure diverse, affordable, and sustainable energy sources; the MASS-TF’s work to promote and support energy resilience at the Commonwealth’s military installations; and opportunities for collaboration between federal, state, and local stakeholders to reduce the cost of energy for these installations.
“For the seventh consecutive year, Massachusetts was named the most energy efficient state, thanks to the Commonwealth’s commitment to identifying and embracing innovative solutions for unique energy challenges,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “Today’s roundtable will help lay the groundwork for the state’s military installations to reduce costs and improve efficiency, thereby ensuring the vitality of these important hubs of economic activity.”
“The MASS-TF works to enhance the programs, facilities, and operations of Massachusetts’ six military installations through collaboration with our partners in the military and beyond,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Lauren Liss. “Our work on this front is informed by events like today’s roundtable, where we can bring together key stakeholders to identify new ways to make Massachusetts’ installations more efficient and better prepared for the future.”
“Energy Action Month is a time to raise awareness and take action. The Army is prioritizing energy and water security to ensure available and quality power and water to sustain critical missions for a minimum of 14 days. We are collaborating with industry and focusing on renewable and alternative energy projects with “islandable” capabilities to include onsite generation, energy storage, and energy controls. These projects could enable the electricity from projects to be directly routed to essential requirements at Army installations in the event of a grid disruption or other power emergency,” said the U.S. Army Office of Energy Initiates Executive Director Michael McGhee.
“The U.S. Air Force Office of Energy Assurance drives energy assurance projects that power installations with more resilient, cost-effective, and cleaner energy by leveraging partnerships. Building an energy-resilient Air Force is an undertaking that involves many entities coming together to address shared challenges and develop mutually beneficial solutions,” said Robert Hughes, Executive Director of the U.S. Air Force Office of Energy Assurance. “While Energy Action Month provides opportunity to underscore the importance of energy to the Department of Defense and the Air Force in general, it is also an opportunity to highlight the power of community and collaboration that transpire in forums like this roundtable.”
“Massachusetts continues to be a national leader in clean energy because of our forward thinking policies and programs that drive innovation and encourage renewable energy adoption,” said Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson. “As we work to secure a clean, affordable, and resilient energy future for the Commonwealth, forums like today’s roundtable are crucial to coordinate strategies and initiatives across local, state, and federal governments.”
About the Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force
Housed within the Office of the Governor and supported by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and MassDevelopment, the Massachusetts Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force (MASS-TF) coordinates among the Commonwealth’s six military facilities to maximize their efficiency. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is home to six military installations with more than $13 billion in total economic activity and support for more than 57,000 jobs, including Hanscom Air Force Base, Natick Soldier Systems Center, Joint Base Cape Cod, Fort Devens, Westover Air Force Reserve Base, and Barnes Air National Guard Base.
About MassDevelopment
MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2017, MassDevelopment financed or managed 377 projects generating investment of more than $4.3 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are projected to create about 9,488 jobs and build or rehabilitate 1,863 residential units.
