There's currently a split happening in the cleantech energy dominance industry. Companies like Fervo and X-Energy are finding their footing even before they've managed to prove out manufacturing or delivery at scale, in large part due to anticipation of data center demand which itself is predicated on an extremely bullish thesis on AI disruption. At the same time there's been a withdrawal of anything branded remotely clean or green. Microsoft seems to have divested from DCR, beyond meat is now ultra-processed and ultra-close to bankruptcy, renewable energy developers are now building gas plants, drilling is now cleantech, and everyone seems allergic to the words 'climate change'. As I'm watching this unfold in slow motion and realtime, AI is creating a faustian bargain for knowledge workers like myself. Soul and craft seem to be drying up in exchange for shipping faster. All that to say, there's been another vibe shift recently. There's a feeling of loss in the air (or maybe that's just atmospheric CO2 going up) from all this. Are we allowed to have clean tech without the AI? Progress without data centers? I don't know and I hope we end up getting it right at the end, but for now, if anyone else is feeling this way, hang in there you're not alone.
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