Tim De Chant is a senior climate reporter at TechCrunch, and teaches in MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing. In the years since, he’s become one of the most prominent voices in the critical debates over nuclear power and climate enabling technologies. De Chant holds a PhD in environmental science, policy, and management from the University of California, Berkeley. He also holds a BA in environmental studies, English, and biology from St. Olaf College. His extensive background in environmental issues positions him as an influential figure in shaping public understanding of these critical topics.
In 2018, De Chant was awarded a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship at MIT. While there, he focused on the intersection of climate technologies and paths forward for new business models for journalism. This fellowship provided him the opportunity to become familiarized with the complexities surrounding our energy use—particularly with nuclear energy. He zeroed in particularly on small modular reactors (SMRs) and their distinctive hurdles. Although there is no widely agreed upon definition of SMRs, they usually produce a maximum of 300 megawatts of energy. Vogtle Unit 4 in Georgia is the United States’ most recent completed nuclear power plant. In comparison, it produces just over 1.1 gigawatts of electricity, illustrating the dramatic size disparity between conventional plants and small modular reactors (SMRs).
Perhaps the most surprising change in the field comes by way of new OpenAI CEO and cofounder Sam Altman. To that end, he’s funded a nuclear startup—Oklo. This EV investment is a manifestation of a growing interest in nuclear technology as a potentially large-scale solution to sustainable energy production. Companies like Kairos Power are making strides in this area, with plans for a demo plant that will generate 50 megawatts of electricity. Future commercial plants by Kairos aim to produce 150 megawatts split between two reactors, highlighting the potential of SMRs to contribute meaningfully to energy needs.
Alongside all of these advancements, Elementl is walking the talk by going “technology agnostic” when it comes to project development. This strategy emphasizes flexibility and adaptability in harnessing various technologies to meet energy demands. Not all companies have batted a thousand. Unfortunately in 2023, NuScale took a huge blow when its utility partner canceled their contract—revealing the continued struggles of the nuclear industry.
Whatever the case, Google knows that they need to prepare for a rapidly changing landscape. This year alone, the company expects to spend $75 billion expanding its data center cache. This shift is another sign of a greater reliance on cutting-edge technologies. The plan would indicate that their broad strategy includes cleaner energy, including nuclear power.