June 1, 2012
Governor brings energy to ceremony for Cummings Center's solar panels
By Ethan Forman Staff writer
BEVERLY — Gov. Deval Patrick went to the top floor of the West Garage of
the Cummings Center yesterday afternoon to cut the ribbon on a
366-kilowatt solar power installation.
Touting the state's investments in clean energy and life sciences, the
governor spoke before approximately 100 people, many of them tenants of
the Cummings Center.
Cummings Properties President and CEO Dennis Clarke asked the governor
"to issue his second biggest endorsement of the week," referring to
Patrick's backing of Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren.
"Governor, we hope that you will label Cummings Center as a shining
example of the economic vitality and the responsible business practices
that are so alive and well today in the commonwealth," Clarke said.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Patrick boomed when he got to the podium. "I
stand before you proudly to endorse Cummings Center and the whole
Cummings organization for their exceptional business stewardship."
Later, Patrick cut the ribbon on inverters that will convert electricity
from the roof panels. He did so with officials from Solectra Renewables
of Lawrence, the company that supplied the equipment.
The former United Shoe Machinery Corp. factory was once considered a
derelict brownfields site until Cummings Properties purchased it in
1996. Since then, it has been the focus of an $80 million redevelopment.
The center has taken on a number of sustainable initiatives lately, the
most visible of which are the solar panels on its garage roofs.
The East Garage has an 800-panel, 236-kilowatt solar array, and the West
Garage will have 1,250 panels when the project is completed.
"The economics justify the expense," Cummings Properties founder Bill Cummings said.
It's the second major solar installation on the campus, and more are
planned, Cummings officials said, including panels for a new parking
garage to be built by the 500 Building on the north end of the facility
that will contain 1,600 panels and 470 kilowatts. All told, solar
projects at the center will eventually produce almost 1.5 megawatts.
On hand to greet Patrick were Mayor Bill Scanlon, Vice President and
Cummings Center General Manager Stephen Drohosky, and Senate Majority
Leader Fred Berry, D-Peabody, among others.
With 40 life sciences firms at the Cummings Center, Patrick also touted
the state's initiatives in that sector. Drohosky pointed out that one of
the companies being incubated at the center by the nonprofit North
Shore InnoVentures, a firm called HeptoChem, recently got a $300,000
loan from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.
Besides the solar panels, Cummings Center has taken steps to cut its
energy bills by installing 27 high-efficiency boilers, 12,000 lights
retrofitted into energy-efficient fixtures, new energy management
controls and an electric car charging station.
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