Utilizing waste carbon at scale, assessing public trust in artificial intelligence and data centers, and building a quantum toolkit for critical applications were among the topics energy experts explored at the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI)’s annual research conference on Sept. 22-23.

The complexity of the energy transition demands “a truly interdisciplinary and international approach,” said Paula Hammond, Institute Professor and dean of the MIT School of Engineering, kicking off the conference, which was themed “Transitioning energy at a pivotal moment.” 

More than 200 people attended Energizing@MIT: MITEI’s Annual Research Conference in person and online, including faculty, scientists, and researchers; representatives of global energy firms; nonprofit organizations; and academic institutions.

With the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence and data centers, the challenge of the energy transition grows ever greater, requiring “researchers who can pursue fundamental questions about materials, chemistry, and energy systems … engineers who can design new technologies and determine how they might function at scale … and experts in economics, policy, human behavior, and sociology who can help us understand how those technologies will interact with communities and with the world around us,” said Hammond. 

From keynote speakers to panelists, seed grant innovators to startup entrepreneurs, the conference featured exemplars in all these categories.

Eric Toone, chief technical officer and managing partner at Breakthrough Energy, set the tone for day one with a keynote address that was clear-eyed in his assessment. ” Yet, Toone was optimistic when he heralded examples of Breakthrough Energy-funded ventures, from iron-air batteries to vacuum-insulated glass windows, which can reduce the carbon costs of energy.

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