The MIT Energy and Climate Hack event is an annual gathering of students from MIT and colleges worldwide to come up with solutions to the global energy and climate crisis. Hundreds of students met in person at MIT and virtually for the November 10-12 event. It is known for being a decades-old event that has brought countless innovative and sustainable ideas to life. During the event, participants are divided into teams and given two days to brainstorm and present their solutions to company representatives and judges.
This year’s event focused on energy markets, transportation, and farms and forests in relation to the energy and climate crisis. Corporate sponsors such as Google, Crusoe, Ironwood, and more presented participants with various challenges to solve. Additionally, artificial intelligence made its debut at this year’s event as a promising tool for developing creative climate solutions.
Event organizers identified four core AI applications for special consideration: speeding up discovery, optimizing real-world solutions, prediction, and processing unstructured data. The goal of the event was to emphasize the importance of cooperation among various industries and fields to make a lasting impact on climate change.
Following the initial round of presentations, one team from each challenge advanced to the final presentation round, where team Fenergy emerged as the winners. Their solution, Unbiased Cathode, allows researchers to assess the supply chain implications of battery materials before development begins, thus reducing the lab-to-production timeline.
Looking back on the MIT Energy and Climate Hack, Claire Lorenzo, a student organizer, expressed her hope for the future. She was inspired by the passion and determination of the participants to make a difference. She believes that continued efforts and the implementation of similar solutions on a global level can lead to a better future.
To learn more about the MIT Energy and Climate Hack, visit the event’s website.