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<ul><li>Radiant is working on portable <keyword id="81855" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nuclear-reactors" source="Orion">nuclear reactors</keyword> that can help provide electricity in remote communities, disaster areas and bases.</li><li>These are 1MW portable nuclear reactors that can power over 1,000 homes per unit.</li><li>Founded by ex-SpaceX engineers, Radiant recently secured funding of $1.2 million for this project.</li></ul>This California-based startup has raised funding to develop a portable nuclear reactor that can fit in a shipping container. It’s a 1 MegaWatt nuclear reactor and it can be used to power over 1,000 homes, according to a <a href="https://newatlas.com/energy/radiant-portable-advanced-nuclear/">report</a> by New Atlas. These nuclear reactors are aimed at powering houses in remote communities, disaster areas and bases.<br /><br />The startup ‘Radiant’ was founded by ex-SpaceX engineers who recently secured funding of $1.2 million to develop these portable nuclear reactors. Radiant’s nuclear reactors can deliver over 1 MegaWatt of electricity and they can operate for up to eight years. This makes it possible for one reactor to power over 1,000 homes.<br /><br /><strong>What’s different with these nuclear reactors<br /></strong><br />The nuclear reactors developed by Radiant use helium instead of water for cooling. This method, according to the company “greatly reduces corrosion, boiling and contamination risks.” The particle fuel used in these reactors does not melt according to Radiant and is also said to be capable of handling higher temperatures than traditional nuclear fuels. The company is also working around ways to refuel the reactors and also efficiently transport heat out of the reactor core. <br /><br /><strong>How will it help<br /></strong><br />The use of nuclear reactors to generate electricity can help reduce emissions produced by diesel generators. It would also decrease the need of getting trucks to transport fuel for these generators. While the need for trucks would still be there for transporting the nuclear reactors but the dependence is expected to be much lesser. Portability in itself is a big factor here as it would help electricity reach easily in remote areas.<br /><br /><strong><keyword id="12340854" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="small-nuclear-reactors" source="Orion">Small nuclear reactors</keyword><br /></strong><br /><a href="https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-power-reactors/small-nuclear-power-reactors.aspx">Small nuclear reactors</a> are being developed by several countries including NASA who is making one the size of a garbage can. According to the World Nuclear Association, small nuclear reactors are convenient as they can be efficiently built in a controlled factory. Their small size and safety features also make it possible for them to be lent to countries with smaller grids. It can also help with easier financing as compared to larger nuclear plants.<br /><br />But Radiant is one of the few to work on portable nuclear reactors, and it would be joining Copenhagen-based startup Seaborg Technologies that will deploy them globally on floating barges.<br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-macbook-pro-and-airpods-3-launched-indian-pricing-features-and-everything-you-need-to-know/articleshow/87128713.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Apple MacBook Pro and AirPods 3 launched – Indian pricing, features and everything you need to know</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/apple-m1-pro-and-m1-max-vs-m1-macbook/articleshow/87128408.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max vs M1: Here’s what Apple improved with its new custom chips</a><br />

Ex-SpaceX engineers are working on portable nuclear reactors that can power over 1,000 homes

<ul><li><keyword id="12341269" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mestastop" source="Orion">Mestastop</keyword> Solutions focuses on <keyword id="4732511" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cancer-metastasis" source="Orion">cancer metastasis</keyword>, which is the reason why cancer spreads to other body parts.</li><li>The spreading of the cancer tumour is responsible for 90% of the cancer deaths, Mestastop highlights.</li><li>Mestastop is currently creating a larger sample of patient tumors, which will help the company understand cancer cell behaviour.</li></ul>Bengaluru-based biotechnology startup Mestastop — which is under trial to develop solutions that would address the threat of cancer metastasis — has raised ₹1.3 crore funding from IIM Ahmedabad incubator Center for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE.CO). <br /><br />IKP Knowledge Park, which is an incubator jointly set up by ICICI Bank and the government of Telangana, has also participated in the round, along with a few angel investors. The science and technology park has over 60 companies in the area of biotechnology, pharma, medical devices and energy.<br /><br />Mestastop Solutions focuses on cancer metastasis, which is the reason why cancer spreads to other body parts. <br /><br />Metastases most commonly develop when cancer cells break away from the main tumour and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. This causes cancer cells to travel from the original tumor to other organs and form new tumours. <br /><br />The spreading of the tumour is responsible for 90% of the cancer deaths, Mestastop highlighted in its press note. <br /><br />Mestastop was founded by Dr Arnab Roy Chowdhury and Dr Debabani Roy Chowdhury in 2018. The company uses wet lab biology and predictive analytics to identify and distinguish unique properties of metastasis and leverage them for drug discovery and patient treatment. <br /><br />A wet lab is a lab where drugs, chemicals, and other types of biological matter can be analysed and tested using various liquids.<br /><br />The company has developed three proprietary platforms — METAssay, METSAN and METVivo — to conduct research and development (R&amp;D) on metastasis drug discovery and predictive diagnostics. <br /><br />  <div type="ExtQuote" text="Mestastop is creating a niche for itself using assay and genetically engineered cell-based approaches to develop an artificial intelligence-based platform to predict metastasis" auname="Chintan Antani, assistant vice president of seed investments at CIIE.CO said."></div><br />Mestastop is currently creating a larger sample of patient tumors, which will help the company understand cancer cell behaviour. It will further be utilised for running proof of concept (PoC) animal model studies to validate proof of concept for cancer drug discovery and repurposing. <br /><br />  <div type="ExtQuote" text="“An evolutionary disease like cancer cannot be holistically targeted without targeting metastasis, a process that is complex and is yet to be fully understood. We have successfully created tools and platforms to decipher this biology, translate it with patient data, and then into animal models completing our first phase,”" auname="Dr Arnab Roy Chowdhury, founder and chief executive officer at Mestastop said."></div><br />According to Emergen Research 2020<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/12/11/2143509/0/en/Metastatic-Cancer-Treatment-Market-Size-To-Be-Worth-USD-111-16-Billion-by-2027-Emergen-Research.html"> report</a>, the Global Metastatic Cancer Treatment Market is projected to be worth $111.16 billion by 2027. <br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:<br /><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/kunal-shahs-cred-doubles-its-valuation-to-4-billion-in-less-than-six-months/articleshow/87129405.cms">Kunal Shah’s CRED doubles its valuation to $4 billion in less than six months</a><br /></strong><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/this-startup-is-developing-portable-nuclear-reactors-that-can-power-over-1000-homes/articleshow/87130828.cms"><strong>Ex-SpaceX engineers are working on portable nuclear reactors that can power over 1,000 homes</strong></a><br />

IIM-Ahmedabad incubator invests in an under-trial AI startup that can possibly predict cancer and lead to drug discovery

New Delhi, Jan 28 () Piramal Pharma Solutions on Tuesday said it will invest CAD 25 million (around Rs 135 crore) to expand its Aurora facility in Canada with the addition of a active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing wing.
<p>The construction is expected to be completed by April 30, 2021, Piramal Pharma Solutions said in a statement.
</p><p>"This additional capacity will help us to strengthen our presence in Canada as well as service other geographies such as North America and Europe, whilst enabling us to support our customer's API requirements and market demand for integrated solutions," Piramal Pharma Solutions CEO Peter DeYoung said.
</p><p>As a patient centric organisation, Piramal Pharma Solutions is committed to serving the patient community and reducing the burden of disease, he added.
</p><p>Apart from the existing production scale reactors, this expansion will include two new reactor suites as well as a dedicated filter dryer room and a portable filter dryer, the statement said.
</p>Piramal Pharma Solutions is a contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), offering end-to-end development and manufacturing solutions across the drug life cycle.  AKT  BAL

Piramal Pharma Solutions to invest CAD 25 mn to expand Aurora facility in Canada

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Devialet</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Devialet, the French audio company behind the expensive and high-end Phantom speaker series, just introduced a cheaper speaker to its lineup.</strong></li><li><strong>The Phantom Reactor, available late October, starts at $1,000 - and despite its smaller size, it still packs a punch. </strong></li><li><strong>The speaker is aimed at music enthusiasts who can't quite afford or justify spending almost $3,000 for Devialet's high-end Phantom models. </strong></li></ul><p>If you're interested in getting into luxury audio, but put off by the high price point, Devialet might have a solution.</p><p>Devialet, a French luxury audio company with financial backing from the likes of rapper Jay-Z, just announced the latest addition to its Phantom lineup of speakers: the Phantom Reactor, starting at $999. </p><p>While $1,000 is hardly cheap for a speaker, it's certainly less expensive than other options in Devialet's lineup, like the $3,000 Phantom Gold. Thus, the Phantom Reactor is aimed at audio enthusiasts who still have some cash to throw toward their audio setup, but don't want to pay for the most expensive options. </p><p>However, Devialet is known as much for its luxurious and futuristic-looking speakers as it is for its high prices. Devialet's Phantom speakers come carry an all-in-one approach and unusual design are part of their charm. The new Reactor model is reflective of the company's desire to be at least a little more accessible. </p><p>The Phantom Reactor is four times smaller than its Phantom predecessors, making it more portable and discreet. Although this does result in less amplification power, the Reactor's sound is still nothing to balk at - during a demo of the Reactor I attended, the smaller device easily filled the enclosed room at well below its maximum output. Devialet boasts that the Phantom Reactor delivers "zero distortion, zero saturation or background noise." </p><p>When it comes to playing audio through the Phantom Reactor, you'll have plenty of options. The device supports Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio jacks, AirPlay, Spotify, ethernet and WiFi connections, and connections to TVs, game consoles and media players. You can also download Devialet's iPhone or Android app to control the speaker through your phone. </p><p>Devialet's Phantom lineup also has built-in amplifiers and digital-to-analog converters, which means you won't have to buy any separate audio equipment - it will work right out of the box. The Reactor will come in two models, the 600 and 900, which refers to the maximum wattage each device is capable of outputting (600 W and 900 W, respectively, as you might guess from the names). Both versions are capable of producing 95 dB. </p><p>Those interested can register up for pre-orders <a href="https://www.devialet.com/en-us/phantom-reactor-speaker/">here</a> - pre-orders on Devialet's webpage and Amazon will go live October 24, and alternate store availability should be announced shortly after. </p><p><strong>Take a look at some photos of the new device compared to Devialet's larger and more expensive Phantom lineup. </strong></p><p> </p>

This high-end French audio company revealed its new futuristic-looking $1,000 speaker - and believe it or not, it's the most affordable model yet

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Scanpix Denmark/Sarah Christine Noergaard via Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">Russian nuclear submarine Dmitry Donskoy sails under the Great Belt Bridge in Denmark on its way to Saint Petersburg, July 21, 2017.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The Russian sailors who died aboard a secret Russian submarine after a fire broke out on board could have been saved, Russian media reports.</li><li>The submarine, which is believed to be the Losharik, was in the process of docking with the larger Podmoskovie submarine at the time.</li><li>Rather than evacuate when the fire was only a minor threat to the safety of those aboard, the crew shut the hatch and fought the fire with everything they had up to the point they began to lose consciousness.</li><li>An explosion in the battery compartment is believed to have killed the crew before they could evacuate the submarine.</li><li><span><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories</a>. </span></li></ul><p>The 14 Russian sailors who died aboard a top secret submarine earlier this month were likely killed by an explosion in the vessel's battery compartment as they fought to save the ship rather than evacuate, Russian media <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/4039718">reported</a> recently, citing sources close to the investigation.</p><p>The vessel, which Moscow has yet to identify due to the highly-sensitive nature of its mission, has been identified by Russian media outlets as the Losharik, a submarine that is able to operate at depths other boats are unable to reach for secret missions on the seafloor.</p><p><em><strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-navy-research-submarine-catch-fire-deaths-reports-2019-7">14 Russian submariners dead after fire on Navy research vessel, Russian media reports</a></em></p><p>Experts have speculated that the <span>submarine's purpose is intelligence gathering and, possibly, targeting undersea cables and strategic assets.</span></p><p><em><strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-submarine-losharik-undersea-cables-media-speculation-2019-7">The Russian submarine that caught fire and killed 14 may have been designed to cut undersea internet cables</a></em></p><p>In the wake of the accident earlier this month, a top Russian naval officer said that the crew "prevented a planetary catastrophe," perhaps a reference to the preservation of the sub, as well as its onboard nuclear reactor. It is unclear exactly what the officer may have meant.</p><p><em><strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dead-sailors-saved-submarine-fire-from-being-a-planetary-catastrophe-2019-7">Dead sailors stopped a 'planetary catastrophe' aboard a secret submarine, a top Russian naval officer said at their funeral</a></em></p><p>A deep-diving vessel believed to be the Losharik caught fire on July 1, setting off a chain of events that ultimately resulted in the deaths of its crew. New details were recently reported on the crew's fight to save their burning sub.</p><p>The Kommersant, a Russian newspaper, <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/4039718">reports</a> that the crew of the secretive Russian submarine would likely have survived if they had abandoned the firefight, an option given that the Losharik had completed its mission and was reportedly in the process of docking with the Podmoskovie, a larger sub, at the time of the fire.</p><p>Sources told the Kommersant that the fire was not a serious threat to the crew initially, as each had access to portable breathing devices and firefighting equipment.</p><p>"<span>The submariners acted heroically in the critical situation," Sergei Shoigu, the Russian <keyword id="6354810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="defense">defense</keyword> minister, <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2019/07/03/russian-defense-chief-says-there-are-survivors-of-navy-fire/">said</a> earlier this month.</span></p><p><span> "They evacuated a civilian expert from the compartment that was engulfed by fire and shut the door to prevent the fire from spreading further and fought for the ship's survival until the end."</span></p><p>Rather than evacuate, the crew fought for the top-secret submarine's survival, exhausting all available breathing and firefighting equipment onboard. The Losharik's crew is said to have acted in accordance with the Russian navy's "Guidelines for Fighting for the Survivability of the Submarine," which requires that crew members stand their ground and take action to save the submarine.</p><p>When the Russian sailors began to lose consciousness, an evacuation order was reportedly given. Four crew members from the Podmoskovie are said to have attempted to assist the ten sailors aboard the Losharik make their way out.</p><p>A suspected explosion in the battery compartment is believed to have killed everyone inside the vessel before they could escape, the Kommersant reported. </p><p>The Kommersant, relying on information provided by specialists, <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/4039718">speculated</a> that the fire may have initially been caused by a faulty battery or a problem in the electrical system.</p><p>The exact origin of the fire is unknown as everyone onboard was killed in the incident, the deadliest Russian naval accident since 2008.</p><p>"I doubt the Russians ever reveal the cause, at least in its entirety," A.D. Baker, a former naval intelligence officer, previously told INSIDER.</p><p>"The aging Russian Navy (and the predecessor Soviet Navy) in general has had a far higher number of operational accidents than any other 'major' fleet, and a large number of those accidents have involved fires."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airport-customs-border-patrol-how-illegal-items-found-destroyed-jfk-2019-7">Customs and border officials at JFK airport check 1,000 bags an hour for narcotics and illicit food. Here's where the contraband goes.</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

The 14 Russian sailors who died aboard a top secret spy submarine could have probably made it out

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Dima Buzhenko/Google Maps</span></p><p class="caption">The Brunswick nuclear station in North Carolina, which is in the direct path of Hurricane Florence.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Two nuclear plants in North Carolina are in Hurricane Florence's direct path.</strong></li><li><strong>The Brunswick and Harris nuclear plants are bracing themselves by preparing backup generators and checking for loose material.</strong></li><li><strong>They also plan to shut down 12 hours before the storm hits.</strong></li><li><strong>The hurricane is predicted to make <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/where-will-hurricane-florence-hit-predicted-landfall-2018-9">landfall</a> on North Carolina's coast late Thursday night or early Friday morning. </strong></li></ul><p><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/hurricane-florence-track-evacuations-2018-9">Hurricane Florence</a> will pass directly over two nuclear power plants in North Carolina when it makes landfall later this week - and they're preparing by powering down, and readying backup diesel generators. </p><p>The Category 4 hurricane, which is currently carrying 130 mph winds, is forecast to make landfall on North Carolina's coast late Thursday night or early Friday morning.</p><p>It is predicted to directly pass over the Brunswick Nuclear Plant, which is located 30 miles south of Wilmington, as well as the Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant in New Hill, a town farther inland and about 23 miles from Raleigh.</p><p><em>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-florence-brings-winds-risk-of-floods-to-us-east-coast-2018-9?r=US&amp;IR=T">Hurricane Florence could bring 40 inches of rain and 13 feet of floodwater in a 'catastrophic'</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-florence-brings-winds-risk-of-floods-to-us-east-coast-2018-9?r=US&amp;IR=T"> landfall</a></em></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Google Maps</span></p><p class="caption">The two nuclear plants and the predicted path of Hurricane Florence.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The Brunswick plant produces about 1,870 megawatts of power, while the Harris plant produces 932 megawatts, Reuters reported. One megawatt can power about 1,000 US homes.</p><p>Both power plants are bracing themselves for the hurricane by sweeping the site for any loose material that could get ripped off by high winds, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing a spokeswoman for Duke Energy, a corporation that owns and operates the two power plants.</p><p>They have also prepared their backup diesel generators to make sure the plants have enough fuel to keep producing power.</p><p>All US nuclear stations have installed safety equipment such as portable pumps and generators since the <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/haunting-photos-of-the-fukushima-disaster-zone-2017-3">2011 nuclear accident</a> at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant, Duke spokeswoman Mary Kathryn Green told Reuters.</p><p>Both power plants have also been ordered to shut down their nuclear reactors 12 hours before the hurricane hits their region, Roger Hannah, a spokesman for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission told Reuters on Tuesday.</p><p>It could take weeks for the plants to restore full power production after the storm, Reuters reported.</p><p><em><strong>Read More:</strong></em><em><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-florence-track-evacuations-2018-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span> </span>Here's a map of all the areas that could get hit</a></em></p><p>The map below shows the predicted path and schedule of the hurricane from Wednesday to the following Monday.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>National Hurricane Center</span></p></div><p></p></div></p><p>Predictions from the National Hurricane Center also showed that the Brunswick plant is in an area that could be affected by storm surge - <span>sea water forced inland by the power of the storm.</span></p><p><span>The NHC warned that the storm surge could lead to "catastrophic" flash flooding far inland. Rising water levels could leave coastal parts of North Carolina under nine feet of water, NHC director Ken Graham <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricane-florence-category-4-evacuation-zones-latest-path-track-weather-forecast-live-updates-2018-09-11/">told CBS News</a> on Tuesday.</span><span></span></p><p><span>The Brunswick station is waterproof up to 22 feet, Reuters reported, citing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.</span></p><p>The storm could also affect plants holding coal-ash and other industrial waste, and hog farms that store animal waste in open-air lagoons, the Associated Press reported.</p><p>The Carolinas are home to 12 of the 99 nuclear stations in the US, <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-power/091118-utilities-in-florences-path-prepare-for-outages-massive-restoration-costs">according to S&amp;P Global</a>. Four others are in Virginia, which is also likely to be hit by the hurricane.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/medical-breakthroughs-future-medicine-stem-cell-2018-8">Medical breakthroughs we will see in the next 50 years</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

2 nuclear power plants are right in the path of Hurricane Florence - here's how they are preparing

<p>Hello, and welcome to Power Line, a weekly clean-energy newsletter from Business Insider. </p><p>Here's what you need to know:</p><ul><li>Want to get Power Line in your inbox every Friday? <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/power-line">Sign up here</a>, if you haven't already. </li><li>Most of our coverage is available exclusively to BI Prime subscribers. If you're looking for a discount on a subscription to BI Prime, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/prime-discount?r=birefer-bjoneshttps://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/prime-discount?r=birefer-bjones">click here</a>.  </li><li>Do you have any story tips or feedback? Shoot me an email at <a href="mailto:bjones@businessinsider.com">bjones@businessinsider.com</a>.</li></ul><p>It was a big week for science. Buckle up because <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fusion-startup-tokamak-energy-raises-87-million-2020-1">we've got fusion</a>. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/form-energy-battery-startup-disrupting-the-industry-2020-1">We've got batteries</a>. We've got hydrogen! </p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fusion-startup-tokamak-energy-raises-87-million-2020-1">What can you do with $87 million? Get things hotter than the center of the sun, apparently. </a></h2><p>Earlier this week, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fusion-startup-tokamak-energy-raises-87-million-2020-1">a fusion startup raised $87 million</a> from investors including billionaire flavor mogul Hans-Peter Wild, heir to the Capri Sun fortune. </p><p>The company is using the cash to heat hydrogen plasma to 100 million degrees Celsius, which is more than six times hotter than the center of the sun. </p><p>I've got questions. </p><p><strong>Why so hot? </strong>One way to spur fusion is to heat up a special kind of hydrogen gas called plasma. A lot. Fusion reactions peaks at hundreds of millions of degrees. </p><p><strong>What's the company? </strong>Tokamak Energy. The British startup is named after the nuclear reactor typically used to generate fusion, called a tokamak. It's a Russian word that means "<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tokamak">toroidal chamber with an axial magnetic field</a>," (which I have committed, forever, to memory.)</p><p><strong>What does Capri Sun have to do with fusion? </strong>I'm not sure. </p><p><strong>When will fusion energy hit the grid? </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fusion-startup-tokamak-energy-raises-87-million-2020-1">The company says it's aiming for 2030</a>. Here's what experts think. </p><ul><li>2030 is "very optimistic," according to Louis Brasington, an analyst at Cleantech Group. He says even if you get the tech working there will be years worth of regulatory speed bumps. Late 2030s or 2040s would be a safer bet. </li><li>It's not impossible, but "a lot of things have to go right," Jon Menard, the deputy director for research at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) told me.</li></ul><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/form-energy-battery-startup-disrupting-the-industry-2020-1">When lithium-ion batteries don't cut it</a></h2><p>If you don't know her, you should. I'm talking about lithium-ion, the most popular battery. </p><ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/form-energy-battery-startup-disrupting-the-industry-2020-1">As I wrote today</a>, they're in nearly every portable electronic and electric vehicle, and will continue to dominate the battery market for the foreseeable future, experts say.</li><li>And for good reason: Lithium-ion has a high energy density, it doesn't degrade easily, and it's relatively lightweight.  </li></ul><p><strong>But:</strong> Even the best batteries have shortcomings. And for Li-ion, it's long-duration storage. I'm talking about discharging energy for hundreds of hours or more. </p><ul><li>That's because Li-ion batteries don't scale well - meaning, their cost grows roughly in step with their duration, according to the head of energy storage at Wood Mackenzie, Dan Finn-Foley. </li><li>Long-duration storage with Li-ion is thus prohibitively expensive. </li></ul><p><strong>… and why do we care?</strong> Thank you for asking. </p><ul><li>You can't have a high proportion of renewable energy in the grid unless you have long-lasting batteries that are able to discharge a ton of power.</li><li>Without them, you have to run carbon-emitting power plants in times when there's no wind or sun, and there's a big movement to get rid of those. </li></ul><p>Good thing there are startups working on cheap, long-duration storage. Better yet, some of them have that Bill Gates money. </p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/form-energy-battery-startup-disrupting-the-industry-2020-1">He built Tesla's energy storage business. Now he's got his own battery company backed by Bill Gates. </a></h2><p>Today <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/form-energy-battery-startup-disrupting-the-industry-2020-1">I profiled Form Energy</a>, a long-duration battery startup that everyone is talking about. Here's why:</p><ul><li>At its helm is Mateo Jaramillo, a former VP at Tesla who built its energy storage company. He's just one of the startup's cofounders who are all battery-famous. </li><li>Form has big backers: Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the energy giant Eni, and Saudi Aramco, to name a few. </li><li>So far, the startup has declined to reveal specifics, for fear of overhyping its product. It hasn't said much about what it has in the works.</li><li>But at least one of its products is likely a sulfur flow battery. Unlike lithium-ion, flow batteries become cheaper as you scale them because the electrical charge comes from external tanks of liquid. </li></ul><h2><strong>Hydrogen: A teaser</strong></h2><p>I have had not one but TWO dreams about hydrogen gas this week. Perhaps, spending a day and a half on a deep-dive into the industry has something to do with it. That story will be out next week.</p><p>Here are three surprising things I learned about hydrogen: </p><ol><li>It's the most common element in the universe, making up about three-quarters of all matter. </li><li>We use it to make industrial products like ammonia (used, in turn, to make fertilizer) and to refine oil. </li><li>Nearly all hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels. Experts see a big opportunity to green the industry. </li></ol><p><em>Are there other energy-related industries you want explained? Let me know.</em> </p><h2><strong></strong></h2><h2><strong>#climatechangegoals</strong></h2><p>The wave of companies setting carbon-reduction targets is continuing to build in 2020. Here are some of the latest and largest:</p><ul><li><strong>Microsoft: </strong>Late last week, we reported on Microsoft's pledge to be "carbon negative" by 2030. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-the-5-buzziest-startups-turning-carbon-emissions-into-profit-2020-1">I compiled a list of the top startups that are working on carbon capture and utilization tech that could help them get there</a>. </li><li><strong>Arizona Public Service: </strong>Arizona's largest utility announced that 100% of its power will come from carbon-free sources by 2050.<ul><li>"The commitment is an about-face for an electric utility that poured $37.9 million into a campaign to defeat a ballot initiative that would have required it to generate 50 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2030," the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/01/22/arizonas-biggest-utility-says-it-will-get-all-its-electricity-carbon-free-sources-by-2050/">Washington Post writes</a>. </li></ul></li><li><strong>Starbucks: </strong>Carbon negative? How about "resource positive." That's what Starbucks <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/starbucks-commits-to-a-resource-positive-future/">announced it was aiming for on Tuesday</a>. The coffee giant set a preliminary target of halving emissions from "its operations and direct supply chain" by 2030. </li></ul><h2><strong>3 big stories I didn't cover </strong></h2><ol><li>VC investment in battery storage companies <a href="https://mercomcapital.com/product/2019-q4-annual-funding-ma-report-storage-grid-efficiency/">doubled between 2018 and 2019</a>, with lithium-ion technologies attracting a lion's share of the capital, according to Mercom Capital Group. </li><li>Oil and gas giants spend <a href="https://www.axios.com/iea-track-oil-companies-clean-energy-972cb491-ef26-40f2-ad35-693b570cfab6.html">1% of their total capex outside oil and gas</a>. The International Energy Agency plans to conduct annual reviews to "assess how they're doing on climate change and clean energy issues." (Axios) </li><li>At Davos, loads of companies said they <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/business/corporate-climate-davos.html">"they would aim to lower their emissions of planet-warming gases to net-zero by 2050 or earlier."</a> (New York Times)</li></ol><h2><strong>Finally, here are this week's top deals</strong></h2><p>It was a slow week. </p><ul><li><strong>Tokamak Energy</strong> raised $87 million. </li><li><strong>ConnectDER</strong>, a smart-grid startup based in Virginia, raised $7.3 million from investors including Clean Energy Ventures and Skyview Ventures.</li><li><strong>GridBeyond</strong>, another smart-grid company, raised $12 million from Total and a handful of other investors, according to the research platform i3. </li></ul><p>That's it! I'm off to Miami for the weekend, where it's 76 degrees … and iguana are hopefully <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/01/21/south-florida-braces-hazardous-cold-falling-iguanas-temperatures-dip-into-30s/">not still falling out of trees</a>. </p><p>- Benji</p>

Power Line: Investors bet on plasma hotter than the sun, and long-lasting batteries brought to you by Bill Gates

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="iRobot" title_caption="iRobot's FirstLook is a portable go-anywhere robot." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/533da0826bb3f787540c7564-960/irobot-110-firstlook-1.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>iRobot</span></p><p class="caption">iRobot's FirstLook is a portable go-anywhere robot.</p></div><p></p></div></div>For the past ten years, a company called iRobot has changed the way we think about vacuum cleaners. </p>
<p>iRobot makes the Roomba, a little vaccum cleaner that automatically runs around around your house to clean the floor before returning to its charging base. To date, the company has sold over 10 million of them.</p>
<p>But there's another part of the business that not a lot of people know about. It builds s<span>ecurity and defense robots for police and military. These robots have been used everywhere from Afghanistan at the height of the war to Japan after the catastrophic failure of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.</span></p>
<p>We spoke to Tim Trainer, iRobot's VP of Product Management for Defense and Security, to learn more.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="iRobot" title_caption="The PackBot can go up and down stairs." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/533da023eab8eaad2b0c7568-960/irobot-510-packbot-5-1.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>iRobot</span></p><p class="caption">The PackBot can go up and down stairs.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>"In the early 2000s, we had a contract with DARPA and thought it might be better to send a robot instead of a soldier into Afghani caves to see if they held weapons caches," he told us. "Soldiers [carried our robots] 15,000 feet up Tora Bora, used them in the caves, and gave us an understanding on what we could do better. That was our first production contract, if you will."</p>
<p>"The whole idea is to put robots in harm's way and keep the operators out of harm's way," said Trainer. This is the guiding design principle of iRobot's defense and security offerings. You might consider them <em>especially</em> souped-up remote control cars that can climb stairs, deactivate bombs, and wirelessly provide the operator an uninterrupted first-person view of what the robot "sees," all while keeping human life a safe distance away from a dangerous situation.Things grew from there when iRobot sent some of its systems to New York City in the wake of the September 11th attacks. The robots were used to validate buildings' structural integrity before sending in first responders.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="iRobot" title_caption="The Warrior is a robot designed for heavy lifting." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/533da8afeab8eaab4b0c7568-960/irobot-710-warrior-4.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>iRobot</span></p><p class="caption">The Warrior is a robot designed for heavy lifting.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>When news of Fukushima's earthquake and subsequent nuclear power failure reached iRobot, Trainer described email threads that circulated inside the company that sought to figure out a way to help. The company ultimately sent four robots to Japan - two from production and two from development. "We didn't know if they were going to be used for search and rescue or to go to the reactor facility. Ultimately they went to the reactor, though we didn't design them for that. Still, they were robust enough that they still operated in a fairly heavily radioactive environment. Mechanically and electrically, these things have the flexibility to go somewhere where they weren't designed to go."</p>
<p>It speaks to toughness both in that these robots are physically tough, but in toughness of design that can accommodate (even thrive in) a number of situations that a human would rather avoid.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="iRobot" title_caption="The SUGV is used to deactivate bombs in warzones." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/533d7030ecad04755027b034-960/310-sugv-1.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>iRobot</span></p><p class="caption">The SUGV is used to deactivate bombs in warzones.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>iRobot's consumer and defense businesses used to work quite independently of each other, each with its own engineering and operations. But a recent reorganization essentially united them. "More recently with the drawdown, our DOD business has gone down fairly significantly, but thankfully the home and consumer business has grown significantly," Trainer told us. Each business "has its ups and downs," and in the late 2000s to early 2011, the defense side was "probably leading the way given the buildup in Afghanistan and Iraq."</p>
<p>Nowadays, security and defense accounts for roughly 10% of iRobot's business, but Trainer points out that "we have the flexibility of having very diverse markets that allow us to sustain changes in either sector. The DOD is still a great customer."</p>

The Company That Makes Cute Vacuums Also Makes Robots Used In Some Of The World's Most Dangerous Places

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul><li><strong>Bill Gurley, the legendary Silicon Valley venture capitalist, is getting serious about healthcare.</strong></li><li><strong>After a multiyear journey to learn more about the industry, he's starting to invest in companies based on a conviction that the future of healthcare is going to revolve around consumers. </strong></li><li><strong>He's not the only one: A growing number of tech investors have been getting into healthcare in recent years.</strong></li></ul><p><br>Bill Gurley is getting serious about healthcare.</br></p><p>The tech investor, a general partner at Benchmark Capital, has made a name for himself backing companies like Uber, Snap, Twitter, and eBay. But Benchmark's footprint in healthcare wasn't as prolific.</p><p>In 2014, he tweeted that the healthcare market is "really messed up," leaving room for startups to come in and shake things up. The reality was a lot more complicated than that.</p><p>Now Gurley's ready to jump in, with investments in Solv, a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solv-the-opentable-for-urgent-care-is-expanding-to-10-states-2017-12">company that helps book same-day urgent-care appointments</a>, and Stitch, a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/stitch-health-a-bill-gurley-backed-startup-wants-to-be-the-slack-for-healthcare-providers-2017-12">communications tool for doctors</a>.</p><p>Benchmark's interest in healthcare investments comes at a time where there's been growing interest from Silicon Valley in healthcare. Andreessen Horowitz, for example, in December <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/andreessen-horowitz-450-million-bio-fund-healthcare-2017-12">raised its second biotech-focused fund at $450 million</a>. Speculation that Amazon <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blood-cancer-treatments-for-multiple-myeloma-that-target-bcma-2017-12">might be getting into the pharmacy business</a> has been running rampant. And Menlo Ventures also got <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/menlo-ventures-hires-greg-yap-2017-10">back into biotech</a> in 2017.</p><p>Business Insider spoke with Gurley in December about what he learned during the three years between his initial tweet and his new investments, what it's like to launch a startup in a regulated industry, and what the future of healthcare looks like in the US.</p><h2>A journey to figure out healthcare</h2><p>For investors and entrepreneurs, jumping into healthcare after spending a career in other sectors can be an uphill battle. The industry's heavily regulated, people's lives are on the line, and there are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/prescription-drug-costs-explained-2016-10">middlemen</a> who make paying for healthcare complicated.</p><p>"The first year I just felt dumber and dumber every day because you realize it is so complex," Gurley said.</p><p>There are also a lot of companies and ideas to sift through that won't necessarily make a dent in bringing down the spending on healthcare, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/12/06/out-of-pocket-health-spending-in-2016-increased-at-the-fastest-rate-in-a-decade/">which has been increasing</a>. While on the lookout for entrepreneurs with smart ideas, Gurley found himself coming across startups that weren't going at it the right way.</p><p>"A lot of entrepreneurs go into healthcare because they want to make a difference and make an impact. And as they build a business model, many of them are building tools that make the problem worse," Gurley said.</p><p>For example, electronic health records are mainly built to help healthcare providers communicate with health-insurance plans. That doesn't do a whole lot for patients, who are increasingly on the hook for paying more of their healthcare costs. The consumerization of healthcare is something Gurley, who will join Stitch's board, hopes the healthcare system will shift toward as a way to drive down the cost.</p><p>"I've seen others that just help carriers extract every last dollar. The software's being used to drive up healthcare as a percentage of the GDP, not improve it," he said. "There may even be a quixotic tilt to want to improve things for the customer and hope the market's moving in that direction enough that it relates to sales. Our early signs suggest so, but that's probably a risk."</p><p>What Gurley does envision is that the consumers - the patients who are actually receiving the care - are going to start expecting more. Instead of waiting for an appointment or struggling to find out how much a particular procedure is going to cost, care might start getting more convenient.</p><p>"The industry's gotten to a point where the customer is expecting better service," he said. For instance, there's the MinuteClinics CVS hopes to build on with its acquisition of Aetna, to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-the-cvs-aetna-merger-means-for-your-healthcare-2017-12">transform the drugstore chain into a "Genius Bar."</a></p><p>"You're getting different service levels in other industries, so your expectation is rising as a consumer," Gurley said.</p><p>And there's some evidence to suggest consumers might start being better healthcare shoppers. Patients are now a more active part of paying for their healthcare, thanks to the rise in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-deductible-do-all-health-insurance-plans-have-one-2017-7">high-deductible health plans,</a> which leave people on the hook for thousands of dollars before their insurance starts pitching in.</p><h2>We're at a 'tipping stage' that's making care more convenient</h2><p>In particular, Gurley said he's seeing this happen with urgent care, which he hopes will someday rebrand itself to "convenient care."</p><p>For example, Gurley said, there's a pediatrician in Dallas who's open from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., so that instead of kids leaving school to get a check-up, they can wait until the evening. "Why are kids leaving school to see a pediatrician? We all taught ourselves that that's OK," he said.</p><p>The shifting approaches of established healthcare companies like CVS toward quick-service clinics is a sign we're on track to more convenient and consumer-friendly care.</p><p>"We're at that tipping stage," Gurley said. "Because deductibles are going up and coinsurance is going up, you're making more people shoppers." Online, for instance, you can see a <a href="https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/services/price-lists">price list</a> that helps you determine how much you may be on the hook for during a particular visit.</p><p>"The US market is remarkable in that it has the perception it's competitive and capitalistic. The perception of being regulated in terms of pricing. But it's got the benefit of neither."</p><p>"We'd be better off with either a wide-open competitive system or a single-payer system than we would be with this one we've got. It's so bad."</p><h2>Changing the way we pay for healthcare</h2><p>The change toward more consumer-focused healthcare could have an impact on how we pay for this care too. For example, Gurley sees companies that encompass both healthcare provider and insurance plan gaining momentum.</p><p>"One of the benefits of that is that they become a de-facto narrow network," Gurley said. Narrow networks are controversial because they contain fewer providers that people who have the plan can go to. So in the case of Kaiser Permanente, which has both a health plan and a hospital, members see the doctors Kaiser Permanente employs in network.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>The thing holding narrow networks back, Gurley said, are employers. Employer-funded healthcare covers more than half of the <a href="https://www.kff.org/report-section/ehbs-2016-summary-of-findings/">non-elderly population,</a> according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.</p><p>"Narrow networks are a huge opportunity here," Gurley said. "I don't know if employers would have the gumption to maybe offer one of each. Or if that could somehow be mandated, because then you get around the big hospitals that are driving up costs. People are afraid not to have them on their list."</p><p>Ideally, employers would be removed from the picture entirely.</p><p>"I'm a big believer that you should get the employer out of the game altogether. We're the only mature nation that actually does that. It's silly," Gurley said. "They're just an extra step in the process and they're reluctant - they don't even want to be there. It's not their fault."</p><h2>'Disrupting' regulated industries</h2><p>Healthcare is among the most regulated industries in the US. For example, it might take a new medication <a href="http://www.hiv.va.gov/patient/clinical-trials/drug-approval-process.asp">about 10 years</a> to get through all the necessary steps toward approval.</p><p>"I have a saying I use that regulation's the friend of the incumbent. And I firmly believe that," he said. Gurley has some experience with regulated industries.</p><p>Gurley, who <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/report-bill-gurley-to-leave-uber-board-2017-6">until June</a> sat on Uber's board, watched the company take on odd rules such as one that wouldn't allow black-car service to pick up a passenger within an hour of the call being placed, a rule that ultimately favored taxis.</p><p>"The biggest problem with the United States capitalism is that democracy and capitalism corrupt one another over time. The industries that become the most regulated become the most corrupt, and the people that write the regulations are the incumbents. It makes it harder for startups to break in."</p><p>That also applies to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA.</p><p>"If you ask them each about HIPAA you will find that HIPAA's used to block innovation more than anything else," Gurley said. "And it's used by the incumbents to argue why they don't have open APIs and insurance information. It's this big, big blocker."</p><p>When it comes to finding more healthcare startups to invest in, there are a few things Gurley said he knows he doesn't want to do: developing drugs and selling medical devices are among them. He also knows making waves in the industry won't be easy.</p><p>"And one thing I will tell you is I'm eyes wide open. I know there are a lot of traps and hooks and concerns and I don't come at it with this attitude of, 'Oh, my God, we're going to disrupt them all and it's going to be easy.' I don't have that attitude at all."</p><div></div><div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iter-international-thermonuclear-experimental-reactor-fusion-reactor-revolutionize-energy-2016-10">France's $21 billion nuclear fusion reactor is now halfway complete</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div></hr>

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