Commonwealth Fusion, Off-grid Solar Microgrids, HORNET, Astranis , Technology Brothers
Summary
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), the US fusion energy company, has leased a site in Virginia to build its first commercial-scale, grid-connected fusion power plant, which is expected to be operational by the early 2030s when it will provide grid connectivity and proximity to high-demand customers, such as data centres.
Off-grid solar microgrids could provide over 1,200GW of data centre capacity in the US Southwest, offering a faster, more scalable, and cheaper alternative to expanding the traditional grid or building new fossil fuel plants to support the growing energy demands of AI datacentres.
Astranis, a satellite internet company, has launched four microGEO communications satellites on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to provide affordable broadband to underserved regions, such as the Philippines, using compact, cost-efficient geostationary orbit satellites.
Researchers have developed HORNET, a method for using atomic force microscopy and AI to map the three-dimensional structures of RNA molecules, capturing detailed images of their flexible structures, which could lead to more effective treatments for diseases such as cancer and HIV.
