In Greater Boston, demolition is underway to make room for the installation of a 35MW river-based industrial heat pump at Vicinity Energy’s Kendall Square facility. Vicinity has also formed a new agreement with DCO Energy to install the heat pump. This is a major step in Vicinity’s electrification strategy for Boston and Cambridge, which will enable carbon-free steam generation for more than 70 million square feet of building space. The new heat pump is scheduled for installation by 2028. 

A significant portion of the heat pump’s capacity is already secured through long-term contracts with medical and educational institutions, reflecting strong market demand for decarbonized energy solutions. Everllence will supply the heat pump, while DCO Energy will manage installation and plant upgrades.

As the baseload generator for Vicinity’s electrification plans, the project will be the first to use the Charles River as a renewable resource for carbon-free steam. Vicinity also plans to add thermal storage technologies for on-demand eSteam™ production from renewable electricity. The project delivers multiple benefits, including giving customers access to carbon-free thermal energy and the Charles River ecosystem seeing reduced thermal impact.

“Execution of this project makes Vicinity’s vision of decarbonizing cities at scale a reality,” said Kevin Hagerty, CEO at Vicinity Energy. “Powered by renewable electricity to safely and efficiently harvest energy from the Charles River, this represents rapid advancement in electrification for U.S. district energy systems, demonstrating how proven heat pump technology can be deployed at scale to decarbonize cities. It enables immediate, scalable carbon reductions without the need for costly and time-intensive new electrical infrastructure in Greater Boston. We are establishing the blueprint of how to decarbonize a U.S. city and will be installing similar innovative electrification technologies at our district energy systems across 12 U.S. cities.”  

The proposal to build a river-source heat pump complex at Vicinity’s Kendall facility relies on the Charles River’s thermal energy, an untapped renewable energy resource.

Previously, Vicinity installed a new 42MW electric boiler at its Kendall facility, which provides carbon-free thermal energy to its Boston partners through the established 29-miles of steam piping that runs underneath the city — the Boston and Cambridge district energy system. eSteam™ customers currently include IQHQ and Emerson College. By adopting eSteam™, these institutions are not only advancing their sustainability goals but also positioning themselves to comply with local requirements such as BERDO and BEUDO, while aligning with Massachusetts’ Stretch Energy Code.  

“Our priority is delivering reliable, practical solutions that make economic sense,” said Gary Fromer, CEO at DCO Energy. “Vicinity’s heat pump installation is a smart investment—it reduces emissions without compromising performance, and it’s built to operate efficiently over the long term. It’s a real-world step toward sustainability that works for today and the future. This collaboration builds upon the recent success of our joint projects in Philadelphia, further strengthening our track record of delivering innovative, sustainable energy solutions together.”

Building on the blueprint established in Boston and Cambridge, Vicinity is applying lessons learned to guide decarbonization plans in other cities. Progress is already underway in Grand Rapids, where installation of a 9MW electric boiler has begun, marking the city’s first step toward electrification.