The MITTEN “MIT Thermal Energy Network”

Rapid and Cost-Effective Campus Decarbonization Plan

MIT has a stated goal of eliminating direct carbon emissions from the campus by 2050.  A consulting firm was engaged to provide guidance and create decarbonization pathways for consideration, but the plans resented were all too expensive, some requiring extensive new infrastructure and loss of available property in MIT’s dense campus.  Worst, the most modern and cost-effective approach was not even included. 

In response, a modern cost-effective plan to achieve a 100% decarbonized MIT campus by 2035 was developed by a team including members of MIT Alumni for Climate Action, MIT D-Lab faculty, and Geo@MIT club students.  This group and other alumni are ready to launch a pilot demonstration of this advanced approach to decarbonization as soon as MIT’s administration is ready.

Drawing on their educational and professional experience, the MACA/Geo@MIT team proposes a thermal energy network (TEN), branded MITTEN for MIT Thermal Energy Network, which the team has shown is the most practical and cost-effective approach to decarbonize MIT or any campus.  Below are a set of links to various products of this work for all to see and learn.  The team believes MIT should demonstrate to the world this practical, affordable, and scalable approach to rapidly decarbonize and cluster of buildings.

Video Recording: Introduction to the MITTEN Project (80 min) (1/29/25)

Slides: Introduction to MITTEN Project (1/29/25)

News Article – Inside Climate News (1/29/25)

Summary Report: Decarbonizing the MIT Campus with a Thermal Energy Network (10 pp)

Business Plan: Innovative, Cost-Effective Plan to Fully Decarbonize MIT’S Campus by 2035 (16 pp)

Feasibility Study: Test Fit Report for Distributed Heat Pump Installations at MIT (V1. 85 pp) (9/9/24)

How to Join MIT Alumni for Climate Action (MACA)

MIT Student/Faculty/Alumni Posters for Recent Conferences

Thermal Energy Networks for Campus Decarbonization in the USA

MIT Geo and MACA Alumni Teams share information on Rapid and Cost-Effective Campus Decarbonization using Thermal Energy Networks.

Authors: Megan Lim, Rick Clemenzi, Susan Murcott, Judy Siglin, Jason Chen, Olivia Chen, John Dabels, David T. Williams, Oghenekevwe Ovbije, Anoushka Tamhane, Herb Zien

Alumni/Student Team Successfully Completes “Test Fit” Showing Cost-Effective Campus Decarbonization by 2035

MIT Geo and MACA Alumni Teams share information on Rapid and Cost-Effective Campus Decarbonization using Thermal Energy Networks.

Authors: Susan Murcott, Kevin Johnson, Rick Clemenzi, Judy Siglin, John Dabels, David Williams, Herb Zien, Megan Lim, Jason Chen, Olivia Chen

Enhancing Baseline Energy Analysis - A Case Study from MIT

MIT PhD student Jason Chen and Team share Advanced Thermal Load Data Analysis methods.

Authors: Jason Chen, Olivia Chen, Rick Clemenzi, John Dabels, Megan Lim, Susan Murcott, Judy Siglin, David Williams, Herb Zien

Cambridge Water Department Piped Network as a Thermal Battery

MIT Alumni/Faculty/Student Team working in conjuction with the Cambridge Water System shows how a municipal water system can be used as ground thermal source for Buildings Decarbonization via heat pumps.

Authors: Olivia Chen, Herb Zien, Jason Chen, Rick Clemenzi, John Dabels, Megan Lim, Susan Murcott, Judy Siglin, David T. Williams​