As much as 20% of the electricity on the grid is lost as heat. What if we could get it back? One startup, Arcturus, has developed copper and aluminum that could cut that figure in half. The secret? Using lasers to infuse metals with carbon nanomaterials. techcrunch.com/2026/06/30/a...

The Trump administration's embrace of red tape has killed 7 GW of clean power and threatens 92 GW more, all while demand for electricity is surging. techcrunch.com/2026/06/29/t...

No, Nvidia hasn't solved AI's water problem. techcrunch.com/2026/06/22/n...

The fusion industry has been raking in the funding lately — lots of new additions to my list of top-funded fusion startups. techcrunch.com/2026/06/19/e...

FERC today said that it was directing grid operators to give data centers an interconnection fast lane. And while the regulator also asked grid operators to report on their generating capacity, it didn't do much to address capacity concerns. techcrunch.com/2026/06/18/a...

Anthropic hasn't done much about its (likely) massive carbon footprint, but that's starting to change. The AI startup just joined Frontier, the carbon removal coalition. techcrunch.com/2026/06/17/a...

Geothermal energy could deliver gigawatts per year by 2030, far faster than nuclear, fusion, and maybe even natural gas (given the shortages). But to get there, they'll need geothermal-specific turbines. techcrunch.com/2026/06/17/s...

From the lab to your kitchen: Nanoscale research into the metal alloying processes has led to super metals with some pretty incredible properties. A new startup, Foundation Alloy, will soon be making several tons per day. techcrunch.com/2026/06/16/t...

Offshore geothermal could provide terawatts worth of electricity, and Endurance Energy just raised $54 million to turn mid-ocean ridges and other geologic hotspots into underwater powerhouses. techcrunch.com/2026/06/11/e...

Avalanche Energy became the latest fusion startup to join the 1 keV club — a key milestone in which a plasma is heated above 10 million degrees C. And they did it for under $50 million, a pittance in the fusion world. techcrunch.com/2026/06/10/a...

Two SpaceX alumni used to send sandwich-sized satellites into space, but now they're building massive solar + battery power plants. Their startup, Ambrosia Energy, plans to undercut new natural gas on price and speed-to-power. techcrunch.com/2026/06/10/w...

GM is betting big on sodium-ion batteries to deliver it a slice of the growing energy storage market. I got the inside scoop for @techcrunch.com from Kurt Kelty and team at GM during my recent visit to Detroit. techcrunch.com/2026/06/09/g...

GM’a bid to slash EV prices depends on the success of its new Battery Cell Development Center. It promises to bring new batteries to market a year faster. I recently got an exclusive tour of the new facility and a behind-the-scenes look at GM’s new battery strategy. techcrunch.com/2026/06/05/g...

Fusion startup Helion has raised $465 million as it races to complete its first power plant by 2028. Microsoft has agreed to buy power from the 50 MW, first-of-a-kind facility. techcrunch.com/2026/06/04/h...

“I’m Kid Rock.” “I’m Naomi Wolf.” “I’m Kanye West.” “I’m Matt Taibbi.” “I’m Catturd. Those stories, plus Rob Schneider, tonight on 60 Minutes.”

Pacific Fusion gave me an exclusive look at their latest prototype, a 1:3 scale version of the pulser module that'll be a key building block of its power plant. They liked what they saw, so construction on the plant, slated to come online in 2030, begins this summer. techcrunch.com/2026/06/02/p...

Mike Schroepfer and the Gigascale team are betting that climate tech isn't down or out. The new $250 million fund will back founders who are working on energy, grid, and other technologies that have a clear climate impact. techcrunch.com/2026/06/01/z...

Fusion startup Thea Energy has raised $100 million to help build a demonstration reactor based on its pixel-inspired magnets. But recent developments at the company suggest the modular magnet approach might be hitting some walls. techcrunch.com/2026/05/27/w...

Everyone's bagging on the Ferrari Luce, and while I'm not sure the design works as a Ferrari, I'm withholding judgement until I see one in the flesh, if ever. But I think my colleague @okane.fyi is right, the Luce isn't for you (and not because you don't have the 💸) techcrunch.com/2026/05/26/f...

Have we reached peak fission power hype? Deep Fission, which was struggling to raise $15 million at this time last year, said it was going public...for the second time in 9 months. This time, it's seeking 5x more money from the offering. I've got questions. techcrunch.com/2026/05/23/n...

Elon Musk was all about solar power 10 years ago when he had Tesla buy Solar City. Now, he's apparently given up on solar power as we know it. techcrunch.com/2026/05/23/e...

NEW: Trump Mobile finally confirms that it was exposing customers' names, email addresses, mailing addresses, and cellphone numbers. The company blamed a third-party provider and said it found no evidence that credit card numbers, SSNs, or other financial information spilled online.

xAI got in hot water for (still!) using unregulated gas turbines to power its Colossus data center. Now it's buying $2.8 billion more. That'll be a lot of "mobile" generators. techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/m...

Fun nugget from SpaceX's IPO filing: Anthropic will pay its xAI subsidiary $1.25 billion *per month* for use of its 300 megawatt data center near Memphis. techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/a...

What sales slump? EV's grabbed an even bigger slice of the global pie last year, suggesting that the transition away from fossil fuels is limited to the U.S. Automakers of all stripes — legacy and startups — had better pay attention. techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/g...

It's not often that a report about the grid is so...testy. The watchdog for America's largest grid absolutely ripped PJM Interconnection, its operator, for its bungling of new loads from data centers, which has driven wholesale prices up 76% in one year. techcrunch.com/2026/05/15/p...

Want a picture of what energy demand looks like today? Look no further than Fervo Energy's IPO. After the startup and its bankers upsized the round several times, FRVO is up 40% in initial trading. techcrunch.com/2026/05/13/g...

Scoop! I've learned that former Tesla exec — and current Heron Power CEO — Drew Baglino has founded a heat pump company. He's worked on the tech for years, and the new startup could deliver on a dream he had at Tesla that hasn't come to fruition. techcrunch.com/2026/05/12/f...

To say that Porsche has been struggling with the energy transition might be an understatement. Now, the automaker is shuttering three subsidiaries, including Cellforce, which researched and developed new batteries. techcrunch.com/2026/05/08/p...

The largest electrical grid in the U.S. — PJM Interconnection — has been groaning under the weight of AI and electrification. Pausing new connection requests didn't help. Now the grid operator wants to overhaul itself, but not everyone thinks it's up to the task. techcrunch.com/2026/05/08/t...

Microsoft is reportedly thinking about delaying or abandoning its effort to match its operations with clean energy on an hourly basis. That might sound trivial, but it means Microsoft's net zero claims would continue to rely on what amount to accounting tricks. techcrunch.com/2026/05/06/m...

Zap Energy thinks developing a fusion power plant will be faster if it takes a detour into fission first. Smart move or worrying sign? I'm curious to hear your thoughts. techcrunch.com/2026/04/29/f...

Remember when renewables were expensive compared with fossil fuels? Me too, me too. techcrunch.com/2026/04/27/d...

Fusion power is a long game, so why are venture capitalists so excited about it? @rebeccabellan.bsky.social and I had the good fortune to talk with @rachelslaybaugh.bsky.social about "fusion euphoria" and how it might shape the coming decade. techcrunch.com/podcast/fusi...

Could the IPO window for climate tech startups finally be opening? It might be, but only for startups focusing on a specific industry. (I'll let you guess which one that is.) techcrunch.com/2026/04/25/t...

Some cracks are beginning to form in the fusion industry. When should startups go public? Should they pursue revenue before they switch on a power plant? Will those difference moderate or will they widen into outright rifts? We may find out sooner than later. techcrunch.com/2026/04/19/c...

All of a sudden big tech is bullish on natural gas. Google, Meta, Microsoft — they all seem to have been struck by fossil fuel FOMO. They may come to regret that. techcrunch.com/2026/04/03/a...

Can I change your mind about DNA? My first book, BEYOND INHERITANCE, descries a sea change in how we talk about our genes. It comes out in a couple weeks—preorder your copy or audiobook version (narrated by me) today: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/711682...

"We got a loan" sounds like *yawn* but actually signals something important is happening in the geothermal world. techcrunch.com/2026/03/19/g...

Plenty of commentators saying that Honda is making the right move by killing EVs and focusing on hybrids. Short term, that might work out. But the company is killing its long-term prospects in the automotive industry by giving up on two key technologies. techcrunch.com/2026/03/14/h...

Hey look! Another solid-state transformer startup emerged today. The four I've covered in the last few months have raised over $330 million, suggesting that it's not a question of "if" the technology ends up in data centers but "when." techcrunch.com/2026/03/10/h...

The Chevy Bolt's low price tag might seem like the headline news, but more important is how GM was able to make it happen — and how other automakers could cut costs in their own EVs. techcrunch.com/2026/03/09/g...

NEW from me: Rivian said it plans to deliver between 20,000 and 25,000 R2 SUVs this year. With sales expected to start in June, it'd be the 2nd-fastest EV launch in US history, behind Tesla's uber-successful Model Y and matching the heavily incentivized Prologue. techcrunch.com/2026/03/05/r...

For a subcompact EV — the kind of car most automakers think people don't want to buy — the Chevy Bolt has a lot of fans. That helps explain why GM brought it back for a limited time, but it's not the only reason. techcrunch.com/2026/03/09/t...

PHEVs are like communism — good in theory, but in practice, they haven't lived up to their promise. Why? Most owners don't plug them in, according to a new study. As a bridge to full EVs and as a way to cut emissions, they've failed. It's time to pull the plug. techcrunch.com/2026/02/24/i...

Time to read some tea leaves: Project Vault, the critical minerals reserve, is a tacit or subconscious acknowledgement from the Trump administration that the future is electric. techcrunch.com/2026/02/05/t...

What if our thinking about Elon Musk is all wrong? What if he isn't the next Henry Ford, but the 21st century's Jack Welch or John D. Rockefeller? techcrunch.com/2026/02/01/b...

Energy storage is Tesla's fasting growing business, and that's unlikely to change in 2026. techcrunch.com/2026/01/29/t...

Another fusion power startup is going public via reverse merger. This time, it's General Fusion, another decades-old company that has struggled to raise money recently. techcrunch.com/2026/01/22/s...

Today in power: White House wants PJM to host an auction it doesn't want to host for tech companies to bid on power plants they may not use. techcrunch.com/2026/01/16/t...