New Bedford's Wind Power Renaissance: From Whale Oil to Offshore Turbines.

New Bedford, once a major exporter of whale oil, is now becoming a hub for the offshore wind industry in the United States. Vineyard Wind is building a 62-turbine wind farm off the Massachusetts coast, which is expected to produce 800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power over 400,000 homes. The Biden administration aims to build 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. New Bedford opened the first US port facility specifically designed for offshore wind in 2015, recognizing the industry's promise. The city is now seeing construction happening all around the port, and Bristol Community College is planning to open a National Offshore Wind Institute in New Bedford late this summer to train and certify workers.