FRAMINGHAM — The city’s pilot program for geothermal energy could be headed for expansion after a Boston-based nonprofit announced it had landed a $7.8 million federal grant and is partnering with Eversource, the city and a third party for “the construction phase of a community-scale geothermal system.”
Eversource told the Daily News last month that it would apply for a grant to expand its geothermal energy project westward in the neighborhood off Flagg Drive, near the current loop. Now HEET, a Boston-based clean energy nonprofit, has announced its receipt of $7.8 million to support that expansion.
HEET announced the new funding in a press release last week.
Framingham residents Patricia Alexander, center, and her son Jourden, right, chat in June with Eversource energy adviser Donald Cowing-Polk at the pump house at 1 Normandy Road in Framingham. Their meeting occurred after a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Eversource’s pilot geothermal energy program.
Framingham residents Patricia Alexander, center, and her son Jourden, right, chat in June with Eversource energy adviser Donald Cowing-Polk at the pump house at 1 Normandy Road in Framingham. Their meeting occurred after a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Eversource’s pilot geothermal energy program. More
“We are honored to receive this funding from the DOE’s Geothermal Technologies Office as part of the Community Geothermal Heating and Cooling initiative, and to show how geothermal energy networks can be interconnected to increase efficiency, build resilience and decarbonize at the scale and speed we need to achieve our climate goals,” said HEET Executive Director Zeyneb Magavi, in a prepared statement.
Pilot program seeks to explore effectiveness of geothermal energy
The pilot program broke ground in the summer of 2023. It’s designed to explore whether a geothermal network can be used in combination with, or instead of, traditional energy sources like natural gas or heating oil.
Eversource Energy’s geothermal energy project came online in early September. Project Manager Eric Bosworth told the Daily News at the time that 70% of the loop is online. He added that some of the construction involved was challenging due to asbestos remediation and the need to clean up water and mold.
The pilot program services properties on a loop formed by Normandy Road, Concord Street, Lindbergh Road, Berkshire Road and Rose Kennedy Lane.
“We are excited to have been selected by the Department of Energy, alongside HEET and Eversource, to further expand the nation’s pioneering utility-networked geothermal project right here in the City of Framingham,” said Framingham Mayor Charlie Sisitsky, in a prepared statement. “This innovative project not only showcases Framingham’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions but also sets a precedent for other communities across the nation.”
How does the Framingham geothermal project work?
According to Eversource’s website, the Framingham project consists of a geothermal heat pump connected to a series of buried pipes called the “ground loop.” The system moves a heat-conveying fluid — typically water or an environmentally safe antifreeze mix — through the pipes to circulate heat between the ground and buildings.
Geothermal heat pump technology uses electricity to pump heat from the ground loop into a building to heat it during the winter, and pump heat from a building to the ground loop to cool the building during the summer.
