16.55 cents per kilowatt hour, Holyoke’s residential rates run 39.60% below the Massachusetts average, powered by a system where over 65% comes from hydroelectric resources. Sublime Systems is the sector’s crown jewel. The MIT-founded company selected 16 acres in the Flats neighborhood for its first commercial cement manufacturing facility, securing up to $87 million from the U.S. Department of Energy.The fossil-fuelfree operation is expected to be commissioned by 2026, creating 70 to 90 jobs while producing tens of thousands of tons annually of low-carbon cement. Other Green technology companies that call Holyoke home include Clean Crop technologies, Simple Pack and Xenocs, while many others are currently looking for locations in the city. The city approved a fiveyear tax increment financing package valued at over $351,000, complemented by $1,050,000 in state tax credits. Mayor Garcia draws parallels to the city’s origins. “This canal system, they harnessed this hydro power from the Connecticut River creating cheap energy, keeping costs low,” he says. “It’s those very assets that we’re leveraging and trying to promote today to 118 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11
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