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Tim De Chant

@dechant.bsky.social
6K followers 267 following 361 posts

Climate reporter at TechCrunch, lecturer at MIT. Previously at KSJ@MIT, NOVA, and Chicago Tribune. de-chant.com/tim

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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"EVs will be cheaper...someday," analysts said. I guess that day is today. BMW announced prices for its gas- and electric-powered 3 series, and the electric i3 undercuts the equivalent gas model by $4,400. techcrunch.com/2026/09/30/b...
techcrunch.com
BMW built the same car for gas and electric. The EV is $4,400 cheaper. | TechCrunch
The new BMW 3 Series shows just how quickly EVs have caught up to fossil fuel vehicles on pricing.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
New York Climate Week could have been called New York Data Center Week, that's how many conversations were focused on the AI buildout. And while that focus was on everyone's minds, it wasn't necessarily at the top of their priority list. techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/t...
techcrunch.com
The AI boom took over Climate Week and not everyone is happy about it | TechCrunch
Just like the rest of the U.S, data centers and AI are dividing climate tech founders and investors.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Volkswagen loves a halo car, and the Mission Efficiency is its latest, capable of traveling over 400 miles on a measly 54.9 kWh battery. It took some keen engineering — and borrowing some ideas from competitors — to get there. techcrunch.com/2026/09/14/v...
techcrunch.com
Volkswagen's crazy-efficient EV borrows an idea from Slate | TechCrunch
Volkswagen's new efficiency-minded halo car is almost twice as efficient as the most efficient production car, the Lucid Air.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
If you're as old as me, you might remember Steve Jobs's "digital hub" strategy that envisioned the Mac at the center of a person's digital life. Now, Apple's new CEO John Ternus is revisiting that strategy, updated for the AI era. techcrunch.com/2026/09/09/a...
techcrunch.com
Apple’s new CEO is reviving a Steve Jobs strategy from 25 years ago | TechCrunch
John Ternus made the case in his first keynote as Apple CEO that the iPhone isn't going anywhere.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
In a world awash in AI slop, Apple wants you to trust images shot on its iPhones. techcrunch.com/2026/09/09/a...
techcrunch.com
Apple has a new way prove your iPhone photos aren’t AI slop | TechCrunch
Apple introduced Apple Reference Image to help users determine whether photos have been edited, including alterations made by AI.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Two Google DeepMind alumni have founded Fusionality, a startup providing control systems to fusion companies. The fusion supply chain is starting to fill out. techcrunch.com/2026/09/08/g...
techcrunch.com
Google DeepMind alumni are building tools to accelerate fusion power for the grid | TechCrunch
Fusionality is developing control systems and simulation environments to help fusion power startups move faster.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Google said it would revive a nuclear power plant, now the plant's operator is getting a $1.9 billion loan from the DOE, a clear sign of the lengths to which the Trump administration will go to ensure AI data centers get enough electricity. techcrunch.com/2026/09/08/g...
techcrunch.com
Google’s revived nuclear power plant gets $1.9B loan from US government | TechCrunch
Google said it would bring an Iowa nuclear power plant back from the dead. Now the plant's owner is getting a $1.9 billion loan from the U.S. Energy Department.
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Reposted by Tim De Chant
Adam Rogers @jetjocko.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
A list of citations for the bike-lanes-improved-business assertion: www.adam-rogers.net/bikebibliogr...
adam-rogers.net
bike bibliography
A bibliography for the Business Insider article on the economics of bike lanes by Adam Rogers
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Utilities have been courting fusion startups, hoping to get an early seat at the table for what could be a transformative technology. Wisconsin-based Realta Fusion is the latest to find a partner. Here's what it all means. techcrunch.com/2026/09/03/u...
techcrunch.com
Utilities are racing to link up with fusion startups, with Realta Fusion the latest to benefit | TechCrunch
The grid has been straining under the weight of new AI data centers, and that has utilities courting fusion startups.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Tesla killed its solar roof, a promising product that never lived up to expectations. What went wrong? Plenty. techcrunch.com/2026/08/21/t...
techcrunch.com
Tesla’s solar roof is dead. Here’s what went wrong | TechCrunch
Tesla's solar roof was an experiment that never really caught on for the company. But does that mean the concept of roof-integrated solar is dead?
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
How do you make fusion cheaper? One step at a time. Today, let's talk about fuel. Inertia Enterprises gave me an exclusive look at how they sped up the fueling process. What used to take a week or more now takes a few hours. techcrunch.com/2026/08/20/i...
techcrunch.com
Exclusive: Inertia Enterprises finds a way to make its fusion fuel fast | TechCrunch
Fusion power startup Inertia Enterprises reduced the fuel filling process from a week to just a few hours. It's one of ten hurdles the company must overcome to make a profitable power plant.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
What if it wasn't the reactor that's making nuclear power plants expensive, but another overlooked part? Apollo Atomics gave me a peek at how they've shrunk the steam generator, which they say will help nuclear beat natural gas on price. techcrunch.com/2026/08/20/a...
techcrunch.com
Exclusive: Apollo Atomics wants to make nuclear power cheaper by shrinking an overlooked part | TechCrunch
Y Combinator alumnus Apollo Atomics is shrinking a key nuclear reactor part, which promises to slash the cost of electricity below natural gas.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Most nuclear reactors are great at running full steam all the time, making them excellent partners for the grid, less so for AI data centers. But TerraPower has a reactor that's almost tailor made for the task. Here's what sets it apart. techcrunch.com/2026/08/19/t...
techcrunch.com
TerraPower’s nuclear reactor has a secret weapon for powering AI data centers | TechCrunch
TerraPower's nuclear power plant possesses a strategic advantage over competitors, especially when chasing after data center deals.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
In months, home batteries have gone from pricey additions to solar installations to relatively inexpensive alternatives to backup generators. Here's how that happened. techcrunch.com/2026/08/19/h...
techcrunch.com
Home batteries are suddenly cheap and everywhere. Here’s why. | TechCrunch
Companies including Tesla and Base Power are vying for a piece of the rapidly growing market for home batteries. One technology has made it all possible.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
I've been closely following the top funded fusion startups for almost two years now, and this summer has been very good to the industry, with over $1.5 billion raised. Take a look at who's in the lead and who's gaining ground. techcrunch.com/2026/08/15/e...
techcrunch.com
Every fusion startup that has raised over $100M | TechCrunch
Fusion startups have raised $7.1 billion to date, with the majority of it going to a handful of companies.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Amazon, Meta, Google, and Microsoft — seemingly every hyperscaler has embraced natural gas. They're betting it can get them power quickly, but at what cost? If a new forecast proves correct, the costs could be very material to their bottom line. techcrunch.com/2026/08/14/h...
techcrunch.com
Exclusive: Hyperscalers might regret embracing natural gas if new forecast proves correct | TechCrunch
Natural gas prices could triple in some parts of the U.S., which could saddle hyperscalers with massive bills to power their AI data centers.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Being an early adopter means I've thought a lot about heat pump water heaters over the years — the good and the bad. Reservoir's new water heater looks like it could solve a lot of the problems I've encountered while being the same price or cheaper than a replacement. techcrunch.com/2026/08/12/r...
techcrunch.com
Reservoir raises $8M to make water heaters that people — and the grid — will actually want | TechCrunch
Reservoir has built an ultra-efficient water heater that can predict hot water demand, store energy, and detect plumbing leaks throughout a home.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
For fusion power to hit the grid, it'll need more than a working reactor. Lucky for them, Kyoto Fusioneering is working on everything but the reactor, and it just got a grant to test a key part of the fusion fuel cycle. techcrunch.com/2026/08/11/k...
techcrunch.com
Exclusive: Kyoto Fusioneering starts work on key fusion power plant device | TechCrunch
Fusion power startups are turning to Kyoto Fusioneering to supply components for future power pants. The Japan-based startup just received a grant to build a part of the fuel system.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
The Trump administration has now spent nearly $4 billion coaxing offshore wind developers into canceling their projects. Much of that money is flowing back into oil and gas projects, creating another taxpayer subsidy for the industry. techcrunch.com/2026/08/07/t...
techcrunch.com
Trump administration has spent nearly $4B to cancel offshore wind farms | TechCrunch
The Trump administration has now convinced developers to abandon 12 offshore wind leases. The latest will cost taxpayers $1.2 billion.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
You'd think that the SpaceX-Tesla Terafab would use Tesla solar panels to power it. Instead, it'll rely on natural gas. techcrunch.com/2026/08/07/s...
techcrunch.com
SpaceX's Terafab will rely on natural gas power plants, not Tesla solar panels | TechCrunch
SpaceX and Tesla are building a massive semiconductor fab in Texas that will depend on natural gas power plants, not Tesla solar panels.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Ford has been a company that has lurched from success to success. Now, as Chinese EVs are gaining ground, it needs a hit product more than ever. Is the Fathom pickup it? I doubt it, but maybe that's OK. techcrunch.com/2026/08/06/f...
techcrunch.com
Ford needs another Taurus, and the $30K Fathom EV pickup isn’t it | TechCrunch
Ford's CEO has described the new Ford Fathom as a "Model T moment" for the company. But the EV pickup is unlikely to live up to lofty expectations, and maybe it doesn't have to.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
The Trump administration was wrong to claw back grant money already given to nonprofits, a federal appeals court said. But for many organizations, plenty of damage has been done. techcrunch.com/2026/08/05/t...
techcrunch.com
Trump EPA wrongly canceled $20B in climate funds, appeals court rules | TechCrunch
Climate nonprofits can again access their federal funding more than a year after the Trump EPA ordered Citibank to freeze their accounts.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Commonwealth Fusion Systems has now raised $4 billion, making it the best funded fusion power startup. So when will it go public? Signs point to sooner than later. techcrunch.com/2026/07/30/w...
techcrunch.com
When will fusion power startup Commonwealth Fusion Systems go public? | TechCrunch
There are fresh signs that fusion power startup Commonwealth Fusion Systems will list in the next two to three years.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Commonwealth Fusion Systems was already the best funded fusion power startup, and today it extended its lead with another $1 billion round. techcrunch.com/2026/07/30/f...
techcrunch.com
Fusion power darling Commonwealth Fusion Systems raises another $1B | TechCrunch
Commonwealth Fusion Systems raised $1 billion as the startup moves toward its first commercial fusion power plant.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
A lot of people thought Ferrari's first EV was dead on arrival. Why? It flew in the face of what *they* thought a Ferrari should be. Turns out, people who actually buy Ferrari's don't agree. The Luce is sold out for 2026. techcrunch.com/2026/07/29/s...
techcrunch.com
Sorry, haters. Ferrari’s first EV is doing just fine | TechCrunch
To the horror of commenters across the internet, the Ferrari Luce appears to be a sales success.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Nuclear startup Antares raised $470 million to build small modular reactors for military bases. Given how challenging it'll be to bring down costs for nuclear, chasing after a price-insensitive customer is probably a good idea. techcrunch.com/2026/07/27/a...
techcrunch.com
Antares raises $470M to build nuclear reactors for the US military | TechCrunch
Antares has raised $470 million to build small modular reactors — 100 kW to 1 MW — for U.S. Air Force bases.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Meta dropped out — or was booted? maybe both? — from the RE100, an industry pact that helps companies transition to 100% renewable energy. The move comes after the company said it would build at least a dozen large natural gas power plants for its AI data centers. techcrunch.com/2026/07/23/m...
techcrunch.com
Meta drops out of a major clean energy pact as its natural gas buildout accelerates | TechCrunch
Meta has made significant investments in natural gas over the past year. Now, it's dropping out of an industry renewable energy group.
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Reposted by Tim De Chant
Tim Fernholz @timfernholz.com · 23/07/2026
from me this am: Is the Chinese open-weight model roiling the AI world built on or copied from from American models? Probably not. techcrunch.com/2026/07/23/e...
techcrunch.com
Experts say exploiting Anthropic's Fable isn't how Kimi K3 got so good | TechCrunch
"I don't think you get a model this strong and this quickly on the heels of Fable doing strictly distillation," one expert told TechCrunch.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
OpenAI will spend the equivalent of Sweden's GDP on infrastructure in the next four years. Its first project will include 5.8 GW of natural gas power and just 4 GW of batteries/renewables. techcrunch.com/2026/07/22/o...
techcrunch.com
OpenAI's AI spending spree has ballooned to $750B | TechCrunch
OpenAI will spend the equivalent of Sweden's GDP on infrastructure through 2030.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Arcturus could halve the grid’s electrical losses using its nano-infused copper | TechCrunch
Stealthy startup Arcturus uses lasers to infuse carbon nanomaterials into copper, dramatically improving its ability to conduct electricity.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Trump administration threatens 92 GW of new electricity supply with red tape | TechCrunch
The Trump administration's moves threaten $121 billion in new solar and wind power, two energy sources that are the biggest contributors to new capacity in the U.S.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
No, Nvidia hasn't solved AI's water problem. techcrunch.com/2026/06/22/n...
techcrunch.com
Nvidia wants to cut data center water use, but that's not the same as fixing AI's water problem | TechCrunch
Nvidia announced a new cooling system that cuts water use inside the data center. But it does nothing to address AI's biggest water use — fossil fuel power plants.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Every fusion startup that has raised over $100M | TechCrunch
Fusion startups have raised $7.1 billion to date, with the majority of it going to a handful of companies.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
AI data centers just got a government-mandated fast lane to the grid | TechCrunch
FERC told grid operators to give data centers a fast lane for interconnections, but it failed to address electricity supply shortages.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Anthropic becomes first AI startup to join the Frontier carbon removal coalition | TechCrunch
Anthropic has joined the Frontier coalition, which received another $915M in pledges to fund carbon removal projects.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
SpaceX alum nabs $22M to turn rocket engines into geothermal power plants | TechCrunch
Critical Energy is turning rocket engines into geothermal power plants, and it wants to build 300 GW per year by 2045.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
This startup's super metals could soon be in military drones, luxury watches, and chef’s knives | TechCrunch
Instead of heating metals, Foundation Alloy beats them into submission. The startup has raised $22 million to scale up production of its alloys.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Endurance Energy raises $54M to harness a massive untapped energy source | TechCrunch
SpaceX alumni Andrew Redd is betting the ocean has vast amounts of untapped geothermal energy.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Avalanche's desktop fusion reactor delivers blistering-hot plasma | TechCrunch
Fusion power startup Avalanche Energy said its reactor prototype heated a plasma to over 10 million degrees C.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Why two SpaceX alumni are betting on solar and batteries to power the AI craze | TechCrunch
Ambrosia Energy wants to build power plants in less than 12 months while undercutting natural gas. It hopes to build gigawatts worth by 2030.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
GM joins race to build batteries for AI data centers and the grid | TechCrunch
GM is developing an entirely new sodium-ion battery chemistry for use in everything from data centers to its own factories.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
GM’s electric future depends on a new battery — and this building | TechCrunch
GM wants to slash EV prices by deploying new battery tech up to a year earlier than planned. This building is key to making that happen.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Helion, the Sam Altman-backed fusion startup, raises $465M to build a power plant for Microsoft | TechCrunch
Fusion startup Helion is racing to complete a power plant for Microsoft by 2028. A fresh infusion of cash should help with that.
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Reposted by Tim De Chant
NY Times Pitchbot @nytpitchbot.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
“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.”
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Exclusive: Pacific Fusion's latest prototype packs 440 gigawatts into an 80-nanosecond burst | TechCrunch
Pacific Fusion's sub-scale prototype delivered enormous amounts of power in a flash, setting the company up for its demonstration power plant.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Zigging when most are zagging, ex-Meta CTO raises $250M climate fund | TechCrunch
Mike Schroepfer's Gigascale Capital has raised a large fund to back founders building climate-friendly solutions for the world's energy and material shortages.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
With a new $100M raise, Princeton's Thea Energy is now a top-funded fusion startup | TechCrunch
Thea Energy's pixel-inspired magnets could give its power plant plans a boost. The fusion startup hopes to get a commercial reactor working by 2034.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Ferrari's first EV is not for you | TechCrunch
The Ferrari Luce seems to be more aimed at regulatory compliance and China, putting a lot of pressure on the Jony Ive-designed EV.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Nuclear startup Deep Fission says it's going public, again, and I have questions | TechCrunch
Deep Fission is seeking an IPO that could raise $157 million, though investors may have trouble buying the nuclear startup's story.
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Tim De Chant @dechant.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
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...
techcrunch.com
Elon Musk has given up on solar power (on Earth) | TechCrunch
Elon Muks's xAI has gone all in on natural gas, while SpaceX is obsessed with orbital data centers. What happened to the "solar-electric economy" he promised?
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