Geothermal system is a US first: Framingham, MA networked geothermal system

The nation’s first networked geothermal system owned by a utility went live June 4 in Framingham, Massachusetts. The roughly $15 million network of ground-source heat pumps will cool and heat 36 buildings without fossil fuels, says Eversource Energy, the utility leading the project. As decision-makers nationwide eye networked geothermal as a technology with the potential to decarbonize entire neighborhoods, the two-year Framingham pilot aims to offer lessons for other communities.

Eversource paid for the construction of the system and the new equipment for homes and businesses. Customers will pay a monthly fixed charge to use the system — about $10 for residential customers and $7 for income-qualified customers, said Eversource Media Relations Manager William Hinkle in an email. Commercial customers will pay $21 monthly. Customers will also pay for the electricity that powers their heat pumps, but Eversource expects they will end up paying less for energy each month because they won’t be paying as much for gas or delivered fuels. Customers that rely on gas for cooking or hot water appliances will still do so, Hinkle said.