An ENREast report from last April highlights the progress that Massachusetts and New York are making in allowing regulated utilities to develop geothermal energy network pilot projects. The goal: “utility-scale clean energy delivery.” While future projects may be in jeopardy due to the federal administration’s lack of support for environmental justice communities, at least 13 states—including Massachusetts—are forging ahead with projects and legislation “that would allow gas utilities to develop networked geothermal heating and cooling systems, according to HEET a Boston-based nonprofit climate solutions incubator. ”
The article quotes Andrew Iliff, HEET policy director, speaking about a 2024 Massachusetts law that enabled gas utilities to provide customers with thermal energy. “Permitting for local geothermal heating and cooling projects like schools, town halls and housing developments is a well-established process and not typically a source of delays or obstacles,” he says.
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“Last year, utility Eversource launched a first-in-the nation utility-led geothermal network in Framingham, Mass. The largely successful pilot project is now attracting global requests for geothermal guidance. The project received a $7.8 million Dept. of Energy grant to support a second phase that would begin construction in 2026 and launch by early 2027, says Sarah Paduano, Eversource spokeswoman.
‘Our proposed expansion would approximately double the capacity of the system by adding additional residential, commercial, and Framingham Housing Authority customers to the shared network, using the backup route from the initial pilot,‘ she says.
Earlier this year, the Boston Housing Authority joined with National Grid, to launch what would be the nation’s second utility-led networked geothermal energy pilot project. The pilot project is for Franklin Field, an authority affordable housing community for some 400 families, ‘is a critical test ground for the idea of utility business model modernization for greater energy security, resilience and affordability,” says. a spokesperson.
The pilot, including seven buildings with 129 family units, began design in early 2024 and is set for completion by year end with construction starting later this year. Residential units will be heated and cooled by a Vertical Stack water source heat pump served by the horizontal geothermal loop and a thermal bore field that allows the system to extract and deliver heat from the ground.”
Read the full ENREast article.