A first-of-its kind project is tapping energy beneath the ground to heat and cool homes

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🗞️ Driving the news: A groundbreaking geothermal pilot project in Framingham, Massachusetts, launched by utility company Eversource, is tapping underground thermal energy to heat and cool homes
• The first of its kind in the U.S., the shared geothermal network connects 37 homes and businesses, including a fire station, to an underground thermal loop

🔭 The context: By drilling 88 boreholes 600 feet underground, Eversource created a system where liquid is warmed or cooled underground, then cycled through heat pumps to regulate indoor temperatures
• This sustainable technology offers a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, though it requires significant upfront investment for individual homeowners

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Geothermal networks have the potential to cut residential carbon emissions by up to 60% and reduce dependence on planet-warming fossil fuels
• Expanding such systems could be key to transitioning toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy infrastructure

⏭️ What's next: Eversource will evaluate the project over two years to measure energy savings, system performance, and customer satisfaction, with plans to transfer ownership of heat pumps to customers at no cost
• The pilot’s success could pave the way for similar geothermal networks across the U.S.

💬 One quote: “The idea that we could build thermal networks as a simple infrastructure … and tap all of that excess thermal in the world stored around us, we have a win-win,” - Zeyneb Magavi, co-executive director of HEET

📈 One stat: Switching to geothermal could lower energy costs by 15-20% and reduce residential carbon pollution in Massachusetts by up to 60%, according to Eversource estimates

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