For clean ammonia, MIT engineers propose going underground
Using the Earth itself as a chemical reactor could reduce the need for fossil-fuel-powered chemical plants.
Explained: Generative AI’s environmental impact
Rapid development and deployment of powerful generative AI models comes with environmental consequences, including increased electricity demand and water consumption.
Q&A: The climate impact of generative AI
As the use of generative AI continues to grow, Lincoln Laboratory's Vijay Gadepally describes what researchers and consumers can do to help mitigate its environmental impact.
Designing tiny filters to solve big problems
By developing new materials for separating a mixture’s components, Zachary Smith hopes to reduce costs and environmental impact across many U.S. industries.
Minimizing the carbon footprint of bridges and other structures
MAD Design Fellow Zane Schemmer writes algorithms that optimize overall function, minimize carbon footprint, and produce a manufacturable design.
How hard is it to prevent recurring blackouts in Puerto Rico?
Using the island as a model, researchers demonstrate the “DyMonDS” framework can improve resiliency to extreme weather and ease the integration of new resources.
New filter captures and recycles aluminum from manufacturing waste
MIT engineers designed a nanofiltration process that could make aluminum production more efficient while reducing hazardous waste.
At MIT, Clare Grey stresses battery development to electrify the planet
In her 2024 Dresselhaus Lecture, the Cambridge University professor of chemistry describes her work making batteries more reliable and sustainable.
Unlocking the hidden power of boiling — for energy, space, and beyond
Associate Professor Matteo Bucci’s research sheds new light on an ancient process, to improve the efficiency of heat transfer in many industrial systems.
Helping students bring about decarbonization, from benchtop to global energy marketplace
Professor Jessika Trancik’s course helps students understand energy levers for addressing climate change at the macro and micro scales.
MIT spinout Commonwealth Fusion Systems unveils plans for the world’s first fusion power plant
The company has announced that it will build the first grid-scale fusion power plant in Chesterfield County, Virginia.
Street smarts
Andres Sevtsuk applies new sources of data to creating more sustainable, walkable, and economically thriving city spaces.
In a unique research collaboration, students make the case for less e-waste
SERC Scholars from around the MIT community examine the electronic hardware waste life cycle and climate justice.
Enabling a circular economy in the built environment
A better understanding of construction industry stakeholders’ motivations can lead to greater adoption of circular practices.
So you want to build a solar or wind farm? Here’s how to decide where.
MIT engineers show how detailed mapping of weather conditions and energy demand can guide optimization for siting renewable energy installations.