by gmoke
Sat Jun 10th, 2023 at 06:31:05 PM EST
Europe has probably been doing these kinds of things for decades, (looking at you, Denmark), but it's just beginning here in primitive USAmerica.
From my friends at Home Energy Efficiency Team [HEET http://heet.org ] who have been working toward this for years. They started by doing weatherization parties at homes and offices, proceeded to pioneering work on urban methane leaks, and now are partnering with a local utility to pare back existing natural gas lines and replace them with networked geothermal energy systems.
These are smart people who do their homework in pursuing immediately practical solutions in the face of climate emergency. They are building one alternative for the necessary energy, economic, and social transition weathering climate chaos will require.
HEET is engaged in what I call positive protest and there should be much more of it.
Tune in to a livestream of Eversource Gas's official groundbreaking on the first utility-run networked geothermal system in the nation!
Speakers include: Eversource CEO and Chairman Joe Nolan, Framingham Mayor Charlie Sisitsky, Eversource President of Gas Distribution Bill Akley, Vice President of Clean Technologies Nikki Bruno, and HEET Co-Executive Director Zeyneb Magavi, who will speak on the impact and significance of the project.
Watch live on Eversource MA's facebook page: http://facebook.com/EversourceMA
On Monday, Eversource Gas will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its networked geothermal installation in Framingham, MA--the first of its kind. The system will deliver non-emitting heating and cooling to 40 residential and commercial buildings in Framingham, MA, paving the way for a transition from #gastogeo.
States, policymakers and utilities are increasingly exploring networked geothermal as a solution to decarbonize and electrify entire neighborhoods, meet climate goals, and provide good-paying clean energy jobs.
Eversource has already completed drilling three test boreholes and confirmed that each location is viable for full construction drilling. Now, the utility will begin to install a horizontal loop of pipe in the right of way of the street, along with additional boreholes. National Grid is also moving forward on its own utility installation of networked geothermal in Lowell, MA and has recently completed drilling test boreholes.
HEET's Learning From the Ground Up research team, comprised of researchers from local universities and national labs, will study the utility geothermal installations in MA over the next few years, evaluating impacts on emissions, health, equity and more.
Even more good news...the Framingham geothermal network is already set to expand! Last month, the City of Framingham, Eversource and HEET were granted $715,000 by the U.S. Department of Energy's Community Geothermal funding initiative to plan the expansion of the project, adding an additional neighborhood and doubling the size of the system.
