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Industry Research Partnerships

UMass Clean Energy Extension is developing opportunities to foster clean energy industry partnerships, opportunities for applied research, demonstration or pilot projects, student internships and field research. We welcome industry research inquiries and ideas that have the potential to benefit the Massachusetts business sector, the clean energy market, and the Commonwealth as a whole. 

Current Industry University Partnership Projects

Massachusetts Food & Beverage Industry Pollution Prevention Initiative

Project Description: In partnership with UMass Lowell a team of state and federal agencies and UMass programs, UMass Clean Energy Extension is helping to conduct an outreach and education initiative for Massachusetts food and beverage processors aimed at helping these businesses reduce operating costs, improve operations and prevent pollution through energy efficiency and renewable energy, waste reduction, and safer cleaning and sanitizing materials. The initiative is comprised of a series of interactive workshops that bring together environmental/energy experts with food and beverage industry professionals for a day of learning, networking, and developing actionable plans. The latest workshop in the series took place on November 17 in Springfield, MA. 

Project Partners:

  • MA Department of Agricultural Resources
  • MA Department of Energy Resources
  • MA Department of Environmental Protection
  • MA Department of Public Health
  • MA Office of Technical Assistance
  • Toxics Use Reduction Institute
  • UMass Clean Energy Extension
  • UMass Amherst, Center for Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
  • UMass Lowell, Lowell Center for Sustainable Production
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 1

Current Industry Research Partnerships

The Clean Energy Extension has reached out to MassDEP and received its public database of over 7000 boiler and turbines permitted across its four state regions.  The extension will use this database to develop a GIS depiction and analysis of the boilers to target businesses and institutions for CHP, renewable thermal, and district energy opportunities.