The World

New Energy for New Bedford

The port of New Bedford, Massachusetts was “the city that lit the world”, when whale oil was the chief fuel for lamps. Those days and most of the whales are long gone – but New Bedford has ambitions for a new and more sustainable energy future. Solar and insulation efforts are moving ahead ashore as New Bedford also readies its port to serve offshore wind power development.

The Massachusetts fishing port of New Bedford was the heart of the whaling industry in the 19th century, and called “the city that lit the world”. That industry has gone, and so has much of New Bedford’s prosperity. But city managers see a new energy future, thanks to energy efficiency, renewables and offshore wind. Naomi Arenberg reports.