Vicinity Energy
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | District energy |
| Founded | 2020 |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
Key people | Kevin Hagerty (CEO and President), Rob Arendell (General Counsel), Pamela Clark (Chief Commercial Officer), Bill Fahey (Chief Operations Officer), Ryan Gerlach (Senior Vice President, Human Resources), John Gibson (Chief Technical Officer), Brian Mueller (Chief Development Officer), Matt O'Malley (Chief Sustainability Officer), Kevin Walsh (Chief Financial Officer) |
| Parent | Antin Infrastructure Partners |
Vicinity Energy stands as the foremost district energy company in the United States. Based in Boston, it operates as a subsidiary under Antin Infrastructure Partners. The company was founded in early 2020 following Antin's $1.25 billion purchase of Veolia’s U.S. district energy assets spanning 11 cities. Since then, Vicinity has grown further through subsequent acquisitions.
Among Vicinity Energy's principal systems are:
- The 163MW Grays Ferry co-generation plant located in Philadelphia, which provides energy to more than 70 million square feet, including landmarks such as the Walnut Street Theatre.
- The district energy facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, servicing 7 million square feet within the downtown area.
- Oklahoma City's district energy network, covering an area of 9.9 million square feet.
- The 200MW Kendall Cogeneration Station, supplying energy to 70 million square feet.
- Kansas City's district energy plant, catering to 11 million square feet.
- Kent County’s waste-to-energy and district system situated in Grand Rapids, serving 10 million square feet.
- Baltimore’s district energy infrastructure, supporting over 30 million square feet, including institutions like the Walters Art Museum and Mercy Medical Center.
- The chilled water system at Atlantic Station in Atlanta, covering 4.7 million square feet.
- Trenton’s district energy network, providing service to 12 million square feet.
Additional acquisitions encompass:
- The Energy Collaborative Utility system at Washington D.C.'s Watergate complex (acquired June 2020).
- The district steam system of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia (acquired July 2020).
Decarbonization progress
In April 2022, Vicinity introduced eSteam™, a groundbreaking innovation in the U.S. designed to swiftly reduce carbon emissions from the largest source within commercial buildings. It became the first U.S. company to electrify its operations by implementing electric boilers, industrial-scale heat pumps, and thermal storage at central plants located in Boston and Cambridge, with intentions to expand this approach across the country. Vicinity is committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions throughout all its operations by 2050 or earlier.
By April 2023, Vicinity formed a partnership with MAN Energy Solutions based in Augsburg to create low-temperature source heat pump systems aimed at steam production. The company intends to deploy a large-scale heat pump installation at its Cambridge site that utilizes renewable electricity to effectively extract energy from the Charles River while minimizing environmental impact.
In November 2023, Vicinity revealed the delivery of a 42MW industrial electric boiler to its Kendall Square facility in Cambridge. Manufactured by Precision Boilers (Thermon), this electrode boiler will enable immediate generation of eSteam™, Vicinity’s acclaimed carbon-free thermal energy solution.
Leadership Team
- Kevin Hagerty, CEO and President
- Rob Arendell, General Counsel
- Pamela Clark, Chief Commercial Officer
- Bill Fahey, Chief Operations Officer
- Ryan Gerlach, Senior Vice President, Human Resources
- John Gibson, Chief Technical Officer
- Brian Mueller, Chief Development Officer
- Matt O'Malley, Chief Sustainability Officer
- Kevin Walsh, Chief Financial Officer
History
- From 2020 until 2024, Bill DiCroce held the position of CEO, guiding the company with forward-thinking leadership that influenced its strategic path. He died on April 13, 2025.