Alternative energy

MIT researchers have developed a new polymer membrane that can dramatically improve the efficiency of natural gas purification, while reducing its environmental impact.

Greener, more efficient natural gas filtration

Novel membrane material removes more impurities, without the need for toxic solvents.

April 8, 2019

A $30 million award from USAID will support MIT over the next five years in developing a Center of Excellence in Energy at Ain Shams University, Mansoura University, and Aswan University, in Egypt. The center will serve to connect researchers at the Egyptian universities with experts at MIT, to seek innovative solutions to the country’s energy challenges.

MIT receives $30 million to help address energy challenges in Egypt

Award from USAID will support research collaborations through new Center of Excellence in Energy at Ain Shams University in Cairo.

March 27, 2019

“I thought nuclear made the most sense, since it produced energy and cleaned up the atmosphere, so I decided I should contribute to the field somehow,” Miriam Kreher recalls.

Fine-tuning multiphysics problems

Nuclear science and engineering graduate student Miriam Kreher codes to create better models for complex interactions within nuclear reactors.

March 25, 2019

Vinod Khosla, who runs Khosla Ventures and was a co-founder of Sun Microsystems, delivered the David J. Rose Lecture.

Entrepreneur Vinod Khosla: “Focus on the consequences of success”

In David Rose Lecture, Sun Microsystems co-founder urges bold plans to address global challenges.

March 11, 2019

Dennis Whyte, director of the Plasma Science and Fusion Center.

MIT continues progress toward practical fusion energy

In series of talks, researchers describe major effort to address climate change through carbon-free power.

January 24, 2019

A fusion power plant could provide clean, carbon-free energy with an essentially unlimited fuel supply. From the point of view of electrical power generation, the fusion device is just another heat source that could be used in a conventional thermal conversion cycle.

On the right path to fusion energy

National Academies study recommends a pilot fusion energy program that aligns with MIT's fusion approach and SPARC project.

December 21, 2018

Two new reports show how well countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America are doing in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and what steps they can take to move closer to meeting their Paris Agreement pledges.

Technology and policy pathways to Paris emissions goals

Two new MIT reports advance practical emissions-reduction strategies for Southeast Asia and Latin America at both the regional and country level.

December 10, 2018

MIT researchers propose a concept for a renewable storage system, pictured here, that would store solar and wind energy in the form of white-hot liquid silicon, stored in heavily insulated tanks.

“Sun in a box” would store renewable energy for the grid

Design for system that provides solar- or wind-generated power on demand should be cheaper than other leading options.

December 5, 2018

Letter regarding topics for MIT's upcoming climate symposia

November 28, 2018

MIT continues progress toward greenhouse gas reductions

New generating plant, building retrofits, and progress in metering energy use represent ongoing gains.

November 27, 2018

MIT senior and civil and environmental engineering major René García Franceschini

René García Franceschini: Engineering energy solutions for all

“The human impact that I have is equally, if not more, important to me than the technical rigor of the work I’m doing,” says the senior.

November 26, 2018

Photos show a solar installation from 1988 (left) and a present-day version. Though the basic underlying technology is the same, a variety of factors have contributed to a hundredfold decline in costs. Now, researchers have identified the relative importance of these different factors.

Explaining the plummeting cost of solar power

Researchers uncover the factors that have caused photovoltaic module costs to drop by 99 percent.

November 20, 2018

Jesse Hinricher, an MIT senior majoring in chemical engineering, has been conducting research focused on specialized batteries that could be plugged into the grid to provide renewable energy on demand.

Harnessing the power of sustainable energy

With a love for the environment that took root on his family’s farm, senior Jesse Hinricher aims to put less expensive components into more efficient batteries.

November 1, 2018

Based on a rigorous, integrated analysis of population and economic growth, technological change, Paris Agreement pledges and other factors, the 2018 Food, Water, Energy and Climate Outlook projects likely global and regional environmental changes over the course of this century and identifies steps needed to align near-term Paris pledges with the long-term 2 degrees Celsius and 1.5 C goals.

Charting the Earth’s future for the 21st century

MIT report highlights challenges and opportunities for conserving natural resources and stabilizing the climate.

October 11, 2018

Matt Ellis PhD ’17 (left) and Sam Shaner SM ’14 PhD ’18 have designed a nuclear reactor that deploys a molten nitrate salt coolant that allows the reactor to reach higher operating temperatures than current water-cooled reactors.

Powered by idealism and pragmatism

Matt Ellis PhD ’17 and Sam Shaner SM ’14, PhD ’18 launch a startup to develop an advanced nuclear reactor design.