Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | May 29, 2023 | Worcester Business Journal 3 business community for decades and will be even more so in the coming decades. While progress has been slow – maybe detrimentally slow – we are pointed in the right direction. – Brad Kane, editor B efore I became WBJ editor in 2015, I worked as a reporter for WBJ's sister publication Hart- ford Business Journal, where one of my primary responsibil- ities was writing about the energy industry. is was near the start of the President Barack Obama Administration, so plenty of words and government dollars were being put toward the goal of a future econ- omy powered by clean energy. Green jobs was a key buzzword. Plus, Connecticut had the highest electricity rates in the con- tinental U.S. at the time, so there was lots to write about. During my five years cov- ering the industry, I discovered a renewed appreciation for nuclear power, learned the endless complexities of the electric grid, and saw the business opportunities behind switching to a fossil fuel-free economy. I even co-founded a special HBJ publication called Connecticut Green Guide. Now, more than a dozen years aer I began at HBJ, here we are in a decidedly warmer future, examining the same issues. Sure, progress has been made on multiple fronts, including getting more renewable energy onto the New England electric grid. e buzz around clean energy died down during the President Donald Trump Ad- ministration, but it has ramped up again with President Joe Biden and the passage of the (terribly named) Inflation Reduction Act, which seeks to make trillions in invest- ments in climate improvement. With energy at the forefront of Central Mass. business leaders' minds as prices have spiked in the last two years, WBJ decided to renew its focus on sustainability. First came the Mass Energy Summit on May 12 at the DCU Center, reviving an event last held in 2016. Second is this edition, with three features on energy and a list of the region's top clean energy companies on page 20. Leading off the focus section is Kevin Koczwara's "Staffing the front lines" story on page 11 about how electric utilities are seeking to ramp up their workforces amid a wave of generational retirements. On page 14 in the "e Devens Revolution" story, Koczwara profiles the young technology company Electric Hydrogen, which seeks to clean up industrial use of the most abun- dant element in the universe. Lastly, on page 18, Monica Benevides' "Collaboration is key" story sums up the best ideas from the Mass Energy Summit, where the experts extolled the virtue of working together. Energy and sustainability have been important topics in the Central Mass. A focus on energy & sustainability W I N T H I S I S S U E Worcester Business Journal (ISSN#1063-6595) is published bi-weekly, 24x per year, including 4 special issues in May, September, October, and December by New England Business Media. 172 Shrewsbury St., Worcester, MA 01604. Periodicals postage paid at Worcester, MA. Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Worcester Business Journal, PO Box 330, Congers, NY 10920-9894. Subscriptions: Annual subscriptions are available for $84.00. For more information, please email circulation@wbjournal.com or contact our circulation department at 845-267-3008. Advertising: For advertising information, please call Mark Murray at 508-755-8004 ext. 227. Fax: 508-755-8860. Worcester Business Journal accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials and in general does not return them to the sender. Worcester Business Journal 172 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, MA 01604 508-755-8004 tel. • 508-755-8860 fax www.wbjournal.com Worcester Business Journal WBJ A division of: Award Winning Quality and Service ISO9001/AS9100 Registered Quality and Service Quality and Service C E LE B RA T I N G years 1973 - 2023 Aimtek Inc. - 201 Washington Street, Auburn, MA 01501 508-832-5035 www.aimtek.com Amar & Ani Kapur Aimtek's Founders Aerospace Grade Welding and Brazing Alloys • Thermal Spray Products • Resistance Microwelding • Laser Welding Equipment TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S 14 The Devens revolution While Mass. focuses on renewable electricity, a Natick firm is building a Devens facility to help clean up the use of the most abundant element in the universe: hydrogen. 18 Collaboration is key Easing the economy off its addiction to fossil fuels will require a multifaceted approach where all organizations are transparent and working in concert. Editor, Brad Kane, bkane@wbjournal.com Staff Writers Timothy Doyle tdoyle@wbjournal.com (Real estate, higher education) Isabel Tehan, itehan@wbjournal.com (Health care, diversity & inclusion) Editorial Intern Moesha Nugent, mnugent@wbjournal.com Contributors Giselle Rivera-Flores, Laura Finaldi, Monica Benevides, Alan Earls, Susan Shalhoub, Livia Gershon Photgraphers Matt Wright, Edd Cote Research Director, Stephanie Meagher, smeagher@nebusinessmedia.com Research Assistant, Heide Martin, hmartin@nebusinessmedia.com Production Director, Kira Beaudoin, kbeaudoin@wbjournal.com Art Director, Mitchell Hayes, mhayes@wbjournal.com Senior Accounts Manager Christine Juetten, cjuetten@wbjournal.com Senior Special Accounts Manager Mary Lynn Bosiak, mlbosiak@wbjournal.com Senior Account Executive Yasmin Nasrullah, ynasrullah@wbjournal.com Marketing & Events Manager Kris Prosser, kprosser@wbjournal.com Human Resources Manager, Tracy Rodwill, trodwill@nebusinessmedia.com Accounting Manager, Sara Ward, sward@nebusinessmedia.com Accounting Assistant, Rae Rogers, rrogers@nebusinessmedia.com Account Receivable Specialist, Patty Harris, pharris@ nebusinessmedia.com Audience Development Manager, Leah Allen, lallen@nebusinessmedia.com Business Office Assistant, Nicole Dunn, ndunn@nebusinessmedia.com Publisher, CEO, Peter Stanton pstanton@nebusinessmedia.com Associate Publisher, Mark Murray mmurray@wbjournal.com President, Tom Curtin tcurtin@hartfordbusinessjournal.com 4 Central Mass. In Brief 11 Focus on Energy & Sustainability 20 The List: Top clean energy companies 23 Know How 24 Movers & Shakers 25 Opinion 26 Shop Talk: The Great Exchange

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