MIT hoping to short-circuit energy crunch

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is planning an ambitious effort to solve the world’s energy problems, including spending at least $25 million annually on new research, according to a report set to be released today.

MIT president Susan Hockfield declared in her inaugural address last year that finding solutions to the looming energy crisis would be one of the university’s top priorities.

The new report, compiled by a faculty committee working over a year, lays out a long list of areas where researchers can make a contribution, from solar and nuclear power, to somewhat less familiar technologies such as nanotechnology, new energy-conserving construction techniques, and advanced computer simulation for energy grids and transportation networks.

The report, which Hockfield will now review, also calls for construction of a new energy research center to oversee the efforts, as well as measures to make the campus energy-efficient.

Boston Globe