A man with a sign reading “Build more wind!” attends the ground-breaking ceremony for the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — New Bedford was once known as the city that lit the world. Its whale oil could be found in candles and lamps across the country.

Those glory days are long gone. Now, the troubled city is trying to rekindle its old fame with an alternative form of energy: offshore wind.

This month, the state began construction on a $100 million purpose-built port to transport offshore wind equipment to sea. New Bedford is praying this will be its saving grace — bringing jobs and money into a long-struggling community.

For generations, water was New Bedford’s lifeblood, the source of its wealth. The water is still here, but the wealth is gone. Read more