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Big Elm Solar in Bell County, Texas, a 200 MW renewable energy facility, is now operational.
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Consortium led by MIT, Harvard University, and Mass General Brigham spurs development of 408 MW of renewable energy

Projects in Texas and North Dakota support clean energy transition as MIT moves closer to 2026 net-zero goal.

Project Manager Lourdes Figueroa teaches a student how to handle a volumetric flask to prepare one of the chemical solutions used in the reactions for the process. The other students are observing closely as they follow the steps of the demonstration, which is part of the initial stages of chemical preparation for the production of chitosan nanoparticles.
Aspiring to sustainable development

In parallel, MIT and Universidad del Valle de Guatemala students seek to advance local innovation by and for Guatemalan communities.

Graduate student Ernie I. H. Lee uses drone imaging and machine learning to help map salt marsh species, plant height, and shoots per bed area.
Study: Marshes provide cost-effective coastal protection

As climate change accelerates sea-level rise and intensifies storms, marsh-fronted seawalls can provide an economical coastal defense, MIT engineers report.

“I hope that many others will parallel our approach to better understand how climate may affect our daily lives,” says postdoc Yeon-Woo Choi.
How climate change will impact outdoor activities in the US

Using the concept of “outdoor days,” a study shows how global warming will affect people’s ability to work or enjoy recreation outdoors.

Joshua Reed-Diawuoh decided to start with cashews because they have many manual processing steps.
Uplifting West African communities, one cashew at a time

GRIA Food Company, founded by Joshua Reed-Diawuoh MBA ’20, ethically sources cashews from the region and sells them internationally to support local food economies.

Left to right: MITEC's co-presidents Thomas Lee, Laurențiu Anton, and Rosie Keller
MIT Energy and Climate Club mobilizes future leaders to address global climate issues

One of the largest MIT clubs sees itself as “the umbrella of all things related to energy and climate on campus.”

This map shows changes in the average energy burden for U.S. households from 2015 to 2020. Households experiencing an energy burden in costs greater than 6 percent of income are classified as energy-poor. Darker shades indicate higher energy burdens, and grey areas indicate census tracts where the estimates are unavailable.
The changing geography of “energy poverty”

Study of the U.S. shows homes in the South and Southwest could use more aid for energy costs, due to a growing need for air conditioning in a warming climate.

“Our work shows that it is very important to learn from actual, on-the-ground data to try and improve our models and these emissions estimates,” says Ari Feinberg.
Study finds mercury pollution from human activities is declining

Models show that an unexpected reduction in human-driven emissions led to a 10 percent decline in atmospheric mercury concentrations.

Jon Bessette sits atop a trailer housing the electrodialysis desalination system at the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility (BGNDRF) in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The system is connected to real groundwater, water tanks, and solar panels.
Solar-powered desalination system requires no extra batteries

Because it doesn’t need expensive energy storage for times without sunshine, the technology could provide communities with drinking water at low costs.

“Our work demonstrates that engineering the contact and growth of bubbles on electrodes can have dramatic effects,” says Kripa Varanasi.
Bubble findings could unlock better electrode and electrolyzer designs

A new study of bubbles on electrode surfaces could help improve the efficiency of electrochemical processes that produce fuels, chemicals, and materials.