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Geothermal Pilot Project in Framingham

Why Are We Doing This Project? 

We're committed to delivering New England's vision of a clean energy future and determining if networked geothermal systems are a viable option to affordably heat and cool homes and businesses.

A geothermal system uses water, wells, piping and pumps to pull the earth's heat out of the ground to warm buildings in winter and pumps heat from buildings back into the ground in summer to cool them.

It is renewable energy that comes from the sun's rays and temperatures produced in the earth's core. This energy can be used to heat and cool indoor spaces and produce hot water in conjunction with geothermal heat pumps.

Where Is The Work Being Done

The route is a neighborhood in Framingham consisting of 36 buildings – 24 residential and five commercial – for a total of 125 customer accounts. The technology may be expanded elsewhere based on the outcome of the pilot.

Learn more about the program and what participating customers receive. 

Watch our virtual tour of where we’ll be working in the neighborhood that will host this first-of-its-kind networked geothermal project.

What Work Will Be Done?

There will be three parallel stages:

  1. Drill borefields
  2. Install main in the street/install service "Ts" for individual homes/buildings
  3. Work in customers' homes.

Each is not dependent on the other, but all three must be complete prior to starting up the network.

When Is The Work Being Done?

  • Project design - Complete
  • Electrical design (best plan for powering the networked system) - Complete
  • Requesting proposals for construction work - Complete
  • Working with City of Framingham on permitting - Complete
  • Test borehole drilling, thermal capacity (test results determined viability) - Complete
  • Main and service pipe installation - Complete
  • Borefield drilling at three locations along the route - Complete
  • In-home equipment conversion work - Complete
  • Equipment fine-tuning and restoration - Estimated completion Q1 2025

March and April 2025

The fire station and its borefield are now online and receiving heat and cooling from the networked geothermal system. Flow, temperature, and pressure sensors are being installed throughout the loop to calculate energy usage and monitor system operation throughout the Pilot Testing Period.

Our crews are completing weatherization work at the participating residential homes to ensure their new geothermal equipment is able to function at peak efficiency.

Upcoming work this spring will include the installation of a new staircase and crosswalk to improve access between the Farley building and the pump house, and lawn restoration (loam and seeding) throughout the neighborhood.

Past updates are available

Community Outreach

We're committed to engaging municipal officials, residents, businesses, community groups and neighbors about upcoming project activities.

Our efforts have included municipal briefings, direct mailings, on-site and virtual meetings, door-to-door outreach, and participation in community events. You can read more updates in the most recent geothermal email.

Past community outreach

Webinars:

Have questions about the geothermal pilot?

If you have questions about the pilot or would like to receive regular updates, please email geothermal@eversource.com.