Tim De Chant
@dechant.bsky.social
Climate reporter at TechCrunch, lecturer at MIT. Previously at KSJ@MIT, NOVA, and Chicago Tribune. https://de-chant.com/tim
Pinned
Tim De Chant
@dechant.bsky.social
· Nov 13
Future Proof – Lower your carbon footprint, not your standards
Future Proof helps you lower your carbon footprint by reviewing products and recommending only the best, most eco-friendly ones available.
www.futureproofreviews.com
Hello Bluesky people! If you're new here, I cover all things climate tech for @techcrunch.com, from fusion power to heat pumps, carbon removal to carbon-negative concrete.
My current work: techcrunch.com/author/tim-d...
My (on hiatus but soon to be revived) newsletter: www.futureproofreviews.com
My current work: techcrunch.com/author/tim-d...
My (on hiatus but soon to be revived) newsletter: www.futureproofreviews.com
Is offshore wind a challenge for radar? Yes. Have people been working for over a decade to minimize the problems? Also yes. Are they insurmountable? No. techcrunch.com/2025/12/22/t...
Trump admin halts 6 GW of offshore wind leases again | TechCrunch
The move is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to delay the construction of 6 gigawatts of offshore wind near a hotspot of data center development.
techcrunch.com
December 22, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Is offshore wind a challenge for radar? Yes. Have people been working for over a decade to minimize the problems? Also yes. Are they insurmountable? No. techcrunch.com/2025/12/22/t...
Reposted by Tim De Chant
it's a good sign if your media company randomly merges with a fusion company, right techcrunch.com/2025/12/18/t...
Trump Media is merging with fusion power company TAE Technologies in $6B+ deal | TechCrunch
The merger would broaden Trump Media’s holdings into the nascent fusion power space while data centers clamor for more electricity amid the ongoing AI boom.
techcrunch.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:02 PM
it's a good sign if your media company randomly merges with a fusion company, right techcrunch.com/2025/12/18/t...
Trump Media, parent of Truth Social, is merging with TAE Technologies, a nearly 30-year-old fusion power company. Might be the most unexpected headline I've helped write this year. techcrunch.com/2025/12/18/t...
Trump Media is merging with fusion power company TAE Technologies in $6B+ deal | TechCrunch
The merger would broaden Trump Media’s holdings into the nascent fusion power space while data centers clamor for more electricity amid the ongoing AI boom.
techcrunch.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Trump Media, parent of Truth Social, is merging with TAE Technologies, a nearly 30-year-old fusion power company. Might be the most unexpected headline I've helped write this year. techcrunch.com/2025/12/18/t...
It's a good time to be a nuclear power startup. Last Energy told me it recently raised $100 million to build an 8 MW pilot reactor by the end of next year. techcrunch.com/2025/12/16/n...
Nuclear startup Last Energy raises $100M for its steel-encased micro reactor | TechCrunch
Last Energy will use the funds to build its 5 megawatt pilot reactor in Texas, which it hopes to turn on next year.
techcrunch.com
December 16, 2025 at 7:20 PM
It's a good time to be a nuclear power startup. Last Energy told me it recently raised $100 million to build an 8 MW pilot reactor by the end of next year. techcrunch.com/2025/12/16/n...
Thea Energy gave me a sneak peek at its design for a commercial-scale fusion power plant. It's unlike any other device out there, and the startup hopes to flip the switch on its commercial-scale device in the early 2030s. techcrunch.com/2025/12/15/t...
Exclusive: Thea Energy previews Helios, its pixel-inspired fusion power plant | TechCrunch
Thea Energy says that its planar-coil fusion power plant could be cheaper and easier to build thanks to AI-powered control software.
techcrunch.com
December 16, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Thea Energy gave me a sneak peek at its design for a commercial-scale fusion power plant. It's unlike any other device out there, and the startup hopes to flip the switch on its commercial-scale device in the early 2030s. techcrunch.com/2025/12/15/t...
If you've ever donned a cashmere sweater, you know why the fiber is so desirable. But it's expensive and unsustainably produced, which is why Everbloom developed a way to turn waste keratin into fibers that resemble cashmere and more. techcrunch.com/2025/12/16/e...
Exclusive: Everbloom built an AI to turn chicken feathers into cashmere | TechCrunch
Everbloom has also developed a chemical process to transform waste fibers and feathers into upcycled materials that resemble everything from polyester to cashmere.
techcrunch.com
December 16, 2025 at 7:15 PM
If you've ever donned a cashmere sweater, you know why the fiber is so desirable. But it's expensive and unsustainably produced, which is why Everbloom developed a way to turn waste keratin into fibers that resemble cashmere and more. techcrunch.com/2025/12/16/e...
Fervo received a $462 million vote of confidence from Google and others for its approach to enhanced geothermal, which is on target to generate 100 MW of electricity next year. techcrunch.com/2025/12/10/g...
Google invests in Fervo’s $462M round to unlock even more geothermal energy | TechCrunch
Fervo Energy's Series E round will help the company build additional phases of its Cape Station power plant while beginning development on new sites.
techcrunch.com
December 10, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Fervo received a $462 million vote of confidence from Google and others for its approach to enhanced geothermal, which is on target to generate 100 MW of electricity next year. techcrunch.com/2025/12/10/g...
Boom Supersonic is hoping that data centers it make the first supersonic airliner since the Concorde. The aerospace startup said today that it's developing a version of its turbine for power plant duty, and it's selling the first batch to data center developer Crusoe. techcrunch.com/2025/12/09/b...
Boom Supersonic raises $300M to build natural gas turbines for Crusoe data centers | TechCrunch
Crusoe will pay Boom $1.25 billion for more than a gigawatt of generating capacity with deliveries of the turbines starting in 2027.
techcrunch.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Boom Supersonic is hoping that data centers it make the first supersonic airliner since the Concorde. The aerospace startup said today that it's developing a version of its turbine for power plant duty, and it's selling the first batch to data center developer Crusoe. techcrunch.com/2025/12/09/b...
Data centers are expected to draw 2.7x more electricity by 2035, driven in large part by massive data centers catering to the AI boom. techcrunch.com/2025/12/01/d...
Data center energy demand forecasted to soar nearly 300% through 2035 | TechCrunch
New planned data centers promise to consume even more energy than expected. Meanwhile, a grid monitor is blaming such growth for high electricity prices.
techcrunch.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Data centers are expected to draw 2.7x more electricity by 2035, driven in large part by massive data centers catering to the AI boom. techcrunch.com/2025/12/01/d...
Maritime Fusion thinks fusion power might have a better chance of making a profit if the first reactors are deployed on boats, not on the grid. techcrunch.com/2025/11/24/t...
Exclusive: This startup wants to build a fusion reactor — on a boat | TechCrunch
Startups are still racing to build the world's first commercial fusion power plant on land, but Maritime Fusion thinks the path will be easier out at sea.
techcrunch.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Maritime Fusion thinks fusion power might have a better chance of making a profit if the first reactors are deployed on boats, not on the grid. techcrunch.com/2025/11/24/t...
X-energy is capitalizing on surging interest in nuclear power from tech companies and data center developers, raising a hefty $700 million Series D to bring its small modular reactor to market within the decade. techcrunch.com/2025/11/24/x...
X-energy rides nuclear wave, raises $700M Series D | TechCrunch
The small modular reactor startup is capitalizing on surging interest from tech companies and data center developers.
techcrunch.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:35 PM
X-energy is capitalizing on surging interest in nuclear power from tech companies and data center developers, raising a hefty $700 million Series D to bring its small modular reactor to market within the decade. techcrunch.com/2025/11/24/x...
Large parts of the U.S. are at risk of blackouts this winter as data centers help drive electricity demand skyward. techcrunch.com/2025/11/19/r...
Rising data center electricity use risks blackouts during winter storms | TechCrunch
Data centers are driving record electricity demand, and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation is warning that a severe winter storm could push the grid over the edge.
techcrunch.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Large parts of the U.S. are at risk of blackouts this winter as data centers help drive electricity demand skyward. techcrunch.com/2025/11/19/r...
Constellation Energy will get a $1 billion loan from the Department of Energy to restart a reactor at Three Mile Island. Microsoft has agreed to buy all the power from the facility for 20 years, likely at a premium. techcrunch.com/2025/11/18/t...
Trump DOE gives Microsoft partner $1B loan to restart Three Mile Island reactor | TechCrunch
Constellation Energy will use the loan to refurbish a reactor it idled in 2019. Microsoft has agreed to buy the power once the facility reopens in 2028.
techcrunch.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Constellation Energy will get a $1 billion loan from the Department of Energy to restart a reactor at Three Mile Island. Microsoft has agreed to buy all the power from the facility for 20 years, likely at a premium. techcrunch.com/2025/11/18/t...
Hell hath frozen over? techcrunch.com/2025/11/13/t...
Tesla might finally bring CarPlay to its EVs | TechCrunch
The addition of CarPlay would mark a significant change for Tesla, which has so far shunned phone mirroring in its vehicles.
techcrunch.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Hell hath frozen over? techcrunch.com/2025/11/13/t...
Exowatt thinks it has a way to make concentrated solar power not just profitable, but one of the lowest cost sources of 24/7 power available. The startup wasn't looking for more money, but data center fever meant that investors came knocking anyway. techcrunch.com/2025/11/13/s...
Exclusive: Sam Atlman-backed Exowatt wants to power AI data centers with billions of hot rocks | TechCrunch
The solar-thermal startup wants to deliver electricity for as little as one cent per kWh. But first it has to scale production to 1 million units per year.
techcrunch.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Exowatt thinks it has a way to make concentrated solar power not just profitable, but one of the lowest cost sources of 24/7 power available. The startup wasn't looking for more money, but data center fever meant that investors came knocking anyway. techcrunch.com/2025/11/13/s...
In a sign of the times, data centers will attract more investment this year than new oil supplies. And over the next decade, the majority of power for new data centers will come from renewables, not natural gas. techcrunch.com/2025/11/12/d...
Data centers now attract more investment than than finding new oil supplies | TechCrunch
In a shift, the world will spend $40 billion more on new data centers this year than it will on finding new sources of oil.
techcrunch.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:49 PM
In a sign of the times, data centers will attract more investment this year than new oil supplies. And over the next decade, the majority of power for new data centers will come from renewables, not natural gas. techcrunch.com/2025/11/12/d...
As households around the world struggle with rising energy costs, Australia will give millions of people free electricity for 3 hours every day starting next year, all thanks to cheap solar power. techcrunch.com/2025/11/05/m...
Millions to receive free electricity in 2026 thanks to Australia’s solar boom | TechCrunch
Australia now has so much solar power that the government will require utilities to sell customers free electricity for three hours per day.
techcrunch.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:11 PM
As households around the world struggle with rising energy costs, Australia will give millions of people free electricity for 3 hours every day starting next year, all thanks to cheap solar power. techcrunch.com/2025/11/05/m...
How much power will AI need? Even these guys don't know! techcrunch.com/2025/11/03/a...
Altman and Nadella need more power for AI, but they’re not sure how much | TechCrunch
The CEOs of OpenAI and Microsoft are betting that AI will continue to consume more electricity, but they're not sure how much. That could leave some investors holding the bag.
techcrunch.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:45 PM
How much power will AI need? Even these guys don't know! techcrunch.com/2025/11/03/a...
Plenty of people fear AI is coming for their jobs. Now, they're worried about how it's affecting their utility bills. A backlash might be brewing. techcrunch.com/2025/11/01/r...
Rising energy prices put AI and data centers in the crosshairs | TechCrunch
A majority of consumers say they’re worried about data centers driving up electricity costs. Is the industry prepared for a possible backlash?
techcrunch.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Plenty of people fear AI is coming for their jobs. Now, they're worried about how it's affecting their utility bills. A backlash might be brewing. techcrunch.com/2025/11/01/r...
What if Americans' dislike of trains stems from the fact that robber barons built and ran the first ones here? Maybe we're not skeptical of government projects — which also build highways — but instead harbor a distrust of wealthy profiteers, one that is etched in our national consciousness.
October 24, 2025 at 5:09 PM
What if Americans' dislike of trains stems from the fact that robber barons built and ran the first ones here? Maybe we're not skeptical of government projects — which also build highways — but instead harbor a distrust of wealthy profiteers, one that is etched in our national consciousness.
Arbor was built on the idea that burning biomass could benefit the grid and remove carbon. But over the last year, it has turned its self-described "vegetarian rocket engine" into an omnivore capable of burning natural gas and capturing the carbon. techcrunch.com/2025/10/24/a...
Arbor’s ‘vegetarian rocket engine’ power plant is actually an omnivore | TechCrunch
As demand for electricity from data centers grows, Arbor Energy has made its power plant capable of burning natural gas in addition to biomass.
techcrunch.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Arbor was built on the idea that burning biomass could benefit the grid and remove carbon. But over the last year, it has turned its self-described "vegetarian rocket engine" into an omnivore capable of burning natural gas and capturing the carbon. techcrunch.com/2025/10/24/a...
Google will build a natural gas power plant and capturing the CO2 emissions. Sounds good, right? One hitch: carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) hasn't exactly lived up to expectations, and that's before we start talking about methane. techcrunch.com/2025/10/23/g...
Google’s bets on carbon capture power plants, which have a mixed record | TechCrunch
Google intends to use electricity from the 400-MW power plant in Decatur, Illinois, to operate nearby data centers. Carbon capture will eliminate some of the plants emissions, but how much remains to ...
techcrunch.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Google will build a natural gas power plant and capturing the CO2 emissions. Sounds good, right? One hitch: carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) hasn't exactly lived up to expectations, and that's before we start talking about methane. techcrunch.com/2025/10/23/g...
To store electricity for less $$$, one entrepreneur is looking out to sea. techcrunch.com/2025/10/22/o...
Exclusive: One startup’s quest to store electricity in the ocean | TechCrunch
Sizable Energy has a plan to store excess renewable energy in flexible reservoirs out at sea. The startup has raised $8 million to test prototypes.
techcrunch.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:11 PM
To store electricity for less $$$, one entrepreneur is looking out to sea. techcrunch.com/2025/10/22/o...
The DOE has confirmed that it is canceling $720 million worth of contracts that support American manufacturing. techcrunch.com/2025/10/20/t...
Trump DOE confirms it’s canceling over $700M in manufacturing grants | TechCrunch
The Department of Energy said it was canceling grants to build new factories in places like Alabama and Kentucky. Three startups are affected.
techcrunch.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:48 PM
The DOE has confirmed that it is canceling $720 million worth of contracts that support American manufacturing. techcrunch.com/2025/10/20/t...
Google is working with Commonwealth Fusion Systems again, though not in the way you might think. The tech company's DeepMind division is providing its AI tools to help the fusion startup maximize power from its forthcoming reactor. techcrunch.com/2025/10/16/t...
The real reason Google DeepMind is working with a fusion energy startup | TechCrunch
Google has invested in fusion startups as potential power suppliers. This latest move suggests Google sees them as potential customers, too.
techcrunch.com
October 16, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Google is working with Commonwealth Fusion Systems again, though not in the way you might think. The tech company's DeepMind division is providing its AI tools to help the fusion startup maximize power from its forthcoming reactor. techcrunch.com/2025/10/16/t...