Google, Gates & the Energy Tech Revolution: Fusion, Fission, and the Future

The clean energy landscape is transforming rapidly as major tech companies stake their claims in next-generation power sources. Google has made a significant move by signing a power purchase agreement with Commonwealth Fusion Systems for 200 megawatts from their planned Virginia facility, showing serious confidence in fusion technology's commercial potential by the early 2030s.

Advanced nuclear energy continues to gain momentum with Bill Gates-backed TerraPower securing a massive $650 million in funding, with NVIDIA's venture arm among the investors. Their innovative sodium-cooled reactor design paired with molten salt storage promises flexible power output of up to 500 megawatts. Meanwhile, X-Energy is advancing through the regulatory process, potentially receiving NRC approval for its first commercial modular nuclear plant by late 2026, which would serve Dow's petrochemical operations in Texas.

The explosive growth of data centers is reshaping utility planning, with Arizona's Salt River Project reporting that these facilities now drive 60% of peak load growth and could potentially demand more power than the utility's entire current capacity. This trend is creating tensions globally, as evidenced by Norway considering restrictions on cryptocurrency mining operations to preserve electricity for other industries.

Energy storage is emerging as a critical solution, with New Jersey launching an ambitious initiative to deploy two gigawatts by 2030 through phased auctions. Simultaneously, the renewable industry is beginning to address end-of-life challenges, with Engie North America pioneering a pre-cycling agreement to eventually recycle a million solar panels, though questions remain about how to scale such efforts for the hundreds of millions of panels already deployed worldwide.

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