It’s all about the nukes!

Clean Tech & Advanced Energy

Oct 09, 2024

Good morning,

Nuclear weapons and nuclear energy are all the rage right now. N. Korean leader Kim Jong Un tries to threaten the United States. At the same time, Israel former prime minister Bennett is calling for strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. President Biden says the United States will not support those strikes. Funny as he played a large role in JPCOA and trying to halt Iranian nuclear development. At the same time, the White House is planning to restart more decommissioned nuclear plants to propel energy resilience and independence.

Now, let’s go!

News Headlines:

500 more active-duty troops to aid Hurricane Helene relief efforts (MT)
MacDill AFB evacuates planes and people as Hurricane Milton approaches (MT)
Ukraine strikes Russian oil hub as Zelenskyy says the war is in 'a very important phase' (AP)
Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett calls for strike on Iran's nuclear program (JP)
Iran calls strikes on nuclear or oil targets a 'red line' (TI)
Kim Jong Un threatens to use nuclear weapons against U.S., South Korea (UPI)

CleanTech & Advanced Energy:

AI Could Drive Clean Energy Boom as Investors Question Climate Footprint (EM)
A new European Commission faces three key issues at the heart of the clean energy transition (AC)
Japan to keep nuclear, boost renewables in its energy mix: new industry minister (RT)
LG Chem just solved thermal runaway in EV batteries (IEV)
CALSTART awards $17.5M grant to Sepion Technologies to build advanced battery separator manufacturing facility (BW)
First onshore wave energy project in Asia eyes 400 MW of installed capacity (OSE)

Renewables:

Bill Gates-backed company is redesigning the wind turbine (BNN)
Macquarie weighs sale of one of world's largest offshore wind developers Corio Generation (RT)

Nuclear Fission & Fusion:

U.S. looks to resurrect more nuclear reactors, White House adviser says (RT)
China is making rapid gains in nuclear fusion (WSJ)
A Weakened Iran Still Has a Major Deterrent: The Nuclear Option (WSJ)
Google talks to utilities about nuclear power for data centers (BBG)
20 years after giving up all of its nuclear weapons, Kazakhstan enters an era of peaceful nuclear energy (PT)

Hydrogen:

$2.75M hydrogen fuel system to soon power 100% green sailing ship (TCD)
Green hydrogen is 'far pricier' than projected: Harvard (HG)
Danish-German hydrogen pipe is now officially postponed until after 2030 (EW)

Deal Flow:

KoBold Metals, which uses AI to help find critical minerals for the energy transition, raises $491M from Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, a16z, and more (TC)
BrightNight closes $440M strategic investment from GS Alternatives for renewable production (EC)
Energy storage startup Polarium, based in Sweden, raised $49M from investors including Vargas Holding, AMF, and Alecta (RT)
Blue Energy secures $45M series A co-led by Engine Ventures and At One Ventures to make clean, reliable nuclear power (BW)
Lithios raised $10M in seed funding led by Clean Energy Ventures to develop its electrochemical lithium extraction technology (TC)
Voltfang, a green energy storage solutions startup, raised an $8.8M Series A led by FORWARD.One  (EUS)
Transition Equity Partners, Hamilton Lane, and others invested $50M in Heliene, a Sault Ste. Marie, Canada-based solar PV module manufacturer (WSJ)
Macquarie Asset Management will acquire Danish offshore wind operations business ZITON (RT)
AIP Management has offered to buy a minority stake in French renewable energy developer Valorem from 3i Infrastructure for €309M (PEH)

Opportunities

The Army Materiel Command is soliciting ideas related to improving sustainment of military forces, including through alternative energy and power solutions (SAM)