The archive
Tech
As automakers expand their electric vehicle production, investments in battery technologies are evolving at an unprecedented pace. Now, two major industry leaders have announced plans to open EV battery factories dedicated to scaling automotive cell production in the United States.
Tech
Duke Energy, a major utility serving millions in the Southeast, is betting that small modular reactors (SMRs) can be an integral part of America’s future, providing baseload, clean power.
Policy
The United States faces a growing strategic challenge: China has emerged as the world’s dominant energy financier, outpacing the U.S. nearly ten-to-one in global markets and establishing itself as a primary partner in key nations like Brazil. This first-of-a-kind analysis of U.S. and Chinese energy finance shows that, since 2015, China has outpaced the U.S. by more than 100x in public energy finance in Brazil, $60B to $472M.
Culture
When world leaders fly into New York City (just think of the CO2 emissions from all the flights!) to hobnob at the annual UN General Assembly, they think and act as many leaders often do: they are seeking top-down solutions to global problems. They will tell us what to do. If we balk, they will offer to pay us to do it. If we do it, then problem(s) solved.
Tech
Clean tech startup XGS Energy and Meta have announced a new partnership to develop a 150-megawatt (MW) advanced geothermal facility in New Mexico. The next-generation project will supply clean power to support Meta’s carbon-free data center operations in the state.
Science & Tech
Now, Amazon is backing an effort to examine how commercial offshore kelp farms can boost algae-based carbon capture. Even better, the Amazon-backed farm is co-locating kelp cultivation within the same space as offshore wind turbines.
Science & Tech
Quaise Energy is reviving this powerful energy source, and is one of several companies that are putting “deep geothermal” on the map.
Culture
That is where battery swapping comes in. Instead of plugging in and waiting, drivers can stop at a station, have their empty battery taken out, and have a fully charged one installed, all within a few minutes.
Tech
Founded in 2021, the Berkeley-based company repurposes water treatment waste to deliver clean water while simultaneously removing carbon from the atmosphere–effectively killing two birds with one stone.
Culture
Tucked away on the edge of an entertainment district in Huntsville, Alabama, the venue is mainly surrounded by parking lots and fencing. But in the three years since it opened, the Orion has hosted more than 625,000 visitors for hundreds of concerts and other on-site events while generating millions in revenue. Better yet, it’s done so while minimizing its environmental footprint.
