Breakthrough Energy

Another example of strong partnerships driving scalable impact.   Circ® is joining forces with H&M Group and Lenzing Group to bring its recycled fibers into worldwide collections.   By integrating Circ’s recycled pulp into Lenzing’s TENCEL platform and H&M’s upcoming products, this collaboration showcases how innovation and industry partnership can make circular fashion commercially viable at scale.

A cleaner future for steel is taking shape in Colorado.     Electra is building its first low-carbon iron demonstration plant—a 130,000-square-foot facility designed to validate its breakthrough low-temperature process for refining iron ore. Backed by our $50M grant and contracts with Meta, Nucor Corporation, Toyota Tsusho America, and Interfer Edelstahl Handelsgesellschaft mbH, the plant will begin producing iron in 2026.     Steelmaking accounts for nearly 8% of global emissions. Projects like this show how targeted funding and early corporate partnerships can accelerate the shift to net-zero materials and bring clean industrial innovation to market. https://lnkd.in/g7UT2t8j

Industrial heat is going electric.    Rondo Energy has activated the world’s largest industrial heat battery—a 100 MWh system paired with a 20 MW solar array in California.    At Holmes Western Oil Corp, the system replaces a natural gas boiler, lowering costs, running reliably 24/7, and cutting 13,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually. It’s a tangible example of how clean electricity can power even the most energy-intensive industries.    This milestone goes beyond replacing one fuel with another—it’s about building energy systems that are more affordable, abundant, and reliable for everything we make and move.    It’s an exciting time to be supporting Rondo as their technology scales beyond oil and gas into sectors like cement and aluminum—industries where electrified heat can strengthen supply chains and open new markets for affordable, clean power. https://lnkd.in/gRBa2D-b

Cleaner, more efficient flight doesn’t just lower emissions—it strengthens an industry that connects people, moves goods, and underpins global prosperity.    Our Contrails.org program is advancing aviation’s next major opportunity to reduce climate impacts—by predicting and avoiding high-climate-impact contrails.    Contrails—cloud-like trails left by airplanes—can trap heat and are linked to 1–2% of all human-caused global warming. Through a new partnership with Aireon LLC, Contrails.org will use global flight data to better understand when and where contrails form, helping airlines reduce their climate footprint through smarter route planning.    Smarter data. Cleaner skies. 

These builders are proving what’s possible.    Lilac is moving from demonstration to commercial scale with technology that could double U.S. lithium production—while using a fraction of the water and land of traditional methods.    By re-engineering lithium extraction, Lilac is tackling one of the toughest bottlenecks in the energy transition and strengthening America’s position in the global race for critical minerals.    This is the kind of momentum we’re proud to support: smarter technology, smaller footprint, and a stronger foundation for American energy security. https://lnkd.in/gjuRKARp

Boston Metal from our portfolio just earned a spot on TIME's Best Inventions of 2025 for its Molten Oxide Electrolysis breakthrough—using renewable electricity to convert iron ore directly into liquid metal, with zero emissions.   Steelmaking is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize. Boston Metal is showing it can be done—cleaner, faster, and at industrial scale.   A major step toward cost-competitive green steel and a stronger foundation for a net-zero economy. https://lnkd.in/gypHTXi9

Despite headwinds, climate innovation is forging ahead.   Carmichael Roberts and Eric Toone share how we’re accelerating progress through partnerships that move critical technologies from lab to market.   ▪️The Climate Tech Atlas maps opportunities for climate innovation and investment: https://lnkd.in/eg2NRUxE ▪️The Oneworld BEV Fund brings together major airlines to scale sustainable aviation fuels. As Carmichael notes: “We’re in a unique moment—innovation across every sector puts us in the position to ask what areas still cry out for urgent progress.”   And as Eric adds: “We back technologies that can ultimately compete on their own merits.”   Together, these partnerships show what’s possible when innovation meets execution—expanding opportunity, strengthening industries, and building the foundation for lasting prosperity. https://lnkd.in/ez7d8quW

The power of the stars, built on earth.    Bill Gates recently visited Commonwealth Fusion Systems—a team building one of the most advanced fusion projects in the world.    Fusion is how the sun makes energy. It’s clean, safe, and harnessed through powerful magnets that make the impossible practical. What makes CFS remarkable is how close they are to turning that science into reality—constructing a first-of-its-kind fusion plant designed to deliver affordable, zero-carbon electricity.    As Bill puts it, this is “a fundamental technology for mankind to power everything we do.”    Watch the visit: https://lnkd.in/g9qHteCx

The materials that build our world are starting to change—fast.    Amazon, Meta, and Prologis are joining forces through the new Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance, pooling their purchasing power to bring next-gen cement and concrete to scale.    This isn’t just about cutting emissions. It’s about transforming demand so breakthrough technologies can compete and grow.    Brimstone is helping drive that shift—contributing data and innovation to help buyers shape a new market for cleaner materials.    When technology meets demand, markets move—and the future gets built faster. https://cnb.cx/3W9hFrC

It’s exciting to see collaboration in action across the Breakthrough Energy Fellows community.   Congratulations to Clear Skies Hydrogen (CSH2) and Verne on their recent technical milestone—demonstrating how innovation and partnership can accelerate progress toward scalable, cost-effective hydrogen infrastructure.   Joining BE Fellows means joining a community of innovators working together to tackle some of the toughest challenges in the clean energy transition. Applications are now open for Cohort 6. If you’re developing a high-impact climate technology and ready to move from the lab to real-world impact, apply now to join our global community: https://lnkd.in/ghHvj_6C