Commercial Fusion Has Started: How Helion Is Bringing Power to the Grid by 2028

Perovskite solar has long promised step-change efficiency, yet manufacturing hurdles kept it in the lab. Scott Graybeal and his team at Caelux are changing that. By adding a thin perovskite “active glass” layer to conventional silicon modules, the company unlocks 30–40% more power output while cutting overall project costs, without rebuilding the solar industry from scratch. In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett speaks with Scott Graybeal, CEO of Caelux, about why perovskites represent a structural shift in solar economics. Scott explains how tandem cell architectures split the light spectrum to dramatically increase energy harvest, and why adding just a few cents per watt can transform 25-year project cash flows and lower the levelised cost of energy. He also outlines Caelux’s manufacturing roadmap toward high-volume production, applying Wright’s Law through disciplined process optimisation rather than one-off breakthroughs. The conversation also explores the company’s partnership strategy with incumbent module manufacturers, the changing geography of solar production, and why the next decade could determine whether solar becomes truly ubiquitous infrastructure. Hardware to Save a Planet is brought to you by Synapse. We are a global product development and engineering firm that partners with visionary companies to design, develop, and realize breakthrough hardware and AI-powered innovations that advance climate technologies. To learn more about Synapse and potential business partnerships we offer outside of the podcast, please visit: https://www.synapse.com/contact/ to get in touch!

Geothermal energy has long been overlooked, dismissed as a niche despite its ability to deliver constant, carbon-free baseload power. As data centre demand surges and grids strain under electrification, geothermal is re-emerging as a critical piece of the clean energy puzzle. Unlike intermittent renewables, it offers steady generation; if you can find it. In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett speaks with Joel Edwards, CTO and cofounder of Zanskar, about how AI and geoscience are transforming geothermal discovery. Joel explains why the industry stalled after oil majors exited in the 1980s, and how Zanskar is solving the “needle in a haystack” problem of locating hidden reservoirs. By combining machine learning, proprietary field data, and physics-constrained simulations, the team has reduced exploration costs by up to 90% and drilled one of the most productive pumped geothermal wells in the United States at Lightning Dock. The conversation explores permitting bottlenecks, grid interconnection delays, and Zanskar’s ten-year vision to scale to one gigawatt of reliable and clean power. Hardware to Save a Planet is brought to you by Synapse. We are a global product development and engineering firm that partners with visionary companies to design, develop, and realize breakthrough hardware and AI-powered innovations that advance climate technologies. To learn more about Synapse and potential business partnerships we offer outside of the podcast, please visit: https://www.synapse.com/contact/ to get in touch!

Nuclear fusion is rapidly moving from theory to commercial reality. One kilogram of fusion material generates more clean energy than burning 10 million kilograms of coal. The focus of Anthony Pancotti and his team at Helion Energy is on building the world’s first commercial fusion power plant, targeted to begin delivering electricity by 2028 under a landmark power purchase agreement. Fusion offers the promise of virtually limitless fuel, extraordinary energy density, and clean energy generation without greenhouse gas emissions or long-lasting radioactive waste. In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett speaks with Anthony Pancotti, cofounder and Head of R&D at Helion Energy, about why nuclear fusion is moving from lab experiment to commercial reality. Anthony explains Helion’s radically different, mass-manufacturable approach to fusion, the significance of its Microsoft power purchase agreement targeting 2028, and the remaining engineering, regulatory, and supply-chain challenges. The conversation explores how abundant fusion energy could reshape climate solutions, industry, and humanity’s future. Hardware to Save a Planet is brought to you by Synapse. We are a global product development and engineering firm that partners with visionary companies to design, develop, and realize breakthrough hardware and AI-powered innovations that advance climate technologies. To learn more about Synapse and potential business partnerships we offer outside of the podcast, please visit: https://www.synapse.com/contact/ to get in touch!

In order to meet demand peaks, utilities often have to fire up dirty power plants, essentially generators that burn extra fuel per unit of electricity. So the electricity from those peaker plants is not only the most expensive but also has the highest emissions of any electricity on the grid. But now there’s a solution on the horizon. In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett speaks with Mia Rath, co-founder and CTO of Lumindt, about how solid-state hydrogen storage is transforming commercial energy. They explore how metal hydride batteries decouple power from energy capacity, enabling long-duration, cost-effective storage. Mia explains why this approach outperforms lithium-ion systems, slashes operating costs, and reduces peaker-plant emissions. Listeners will gain insights into scaling hardware innovation, material breakthroughs, and strategies for resilient, on-site renewable energy deployment. Hardware to Save a Planet is brought to you by Synapse. We are a global product development and engineering firm that partners with visionary companies to design, develop, and realize breakthrough hardware and AI-powered innovations that advance climate technologies. To learn more about Synapse and potential business partnerships we offer outside of the podcast, please visit: https://www.synapse.com/contact/ to get in touch!

Globally, we burn as much fossil fuel heating homes as we do driving cars, yet home heating rarely gets climate attention, even though it drives massive energy use, grid strain, and raises household costs. In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett speaks with Dan Yates, CEO and Chairman of Dandelion Energy, about why geothermal heat pumps may be the most overlooked solution in residential decarbonization. Dan explains how tapping the stable temperatures beneath our feet can slash home energy consumption, dramatically reduce peak electricity demand, and outperform air source heat pumps during extreme weather. He shares how Dandelion cut system costs through builder partnerships, making geothermal viable at scale, and why utilities increasingly see it as a grid-stabilizing asset. The conversation explores how hardware innovation, smart incentives, and new business models can align to make clean, electric home heating both affordable and practical.

In this special year-end episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett explores how the rapid expansion of technology and the data centers to support it is accelerating some of the most important climate tech breakthroughs of the decade. Dylan revisits insights from eight innovators shaping the future of grid capacity, renewable power, long-duration storage, hydrogen backup systems, thermal batteries, and low-carbon construction materials. As AI’s energy demands surge, these technologies are proving essential for building resilient, sustainable infrastructure. This recap highlights the hardware, economics, and engineering advances that will define how AI and data centers can scale, without overwhelming the planet.

Recycling human waste rarely makes the sustainability spotlight, yet our current recycling system flushes away 32 billion gallons of fresh water and the nutrients that could replace a quarter of global fertiliser demand. In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett speaks with Taylor Zehren, cofounder and CEO of Wasted, about how rethinking human waste can unlock a powerful circular sanitation economy. Zehren explains how urine-diversion technology turns porta-potties into nutrient-recovery hubs, reducing water waste, cutting emissions, and replacing a significant share of global fertiliser demand. She highlights why separating waste at the source outperforms traditional wastewater treatment, how Wasted’s model transforms disposal costs into revenue, and why cultural shifts, starting with educating children, are essential for scaling sustainable, nature-inspired sanitation systems across homes, venues, and communities.

Decarbonizing maritime shipping is critical for a sustainable future, but conventional engines and fuel systems have long been a bottleneck. Anders Korsgaard and his team at Blue World Technologies are on track to change that. Join Dylan Garrett on this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, as he welcomes Anders Korsgaard, Founder and CEO of Blue World Technologies, to discuss how methanol fuel cells are transforming the industry. Drawing on decades of expertise in fuel cell systems, Anders explains how high-temperature PEM fuel cells convert liquid methanol into clean electricity with 20–25% improved efficiency over conventional engines. He shares why methanol is emerging as the preferred green fuel for shipping, how waste heat recycling boosts system performance, and the practical challenges of retrofitting versus new-build vessels. From forming strategic partnerships with industry leaders like Maersk to scaling hardware solutions for hard-to-abate sectors, Anders reveals what it takes to make sustainable maritime shipping both economically viable and technologically feasible.

Updating home electrification is key to a sustainable future, but outdated electrical infrastructure has long been a bottleneck. Arch Rao and Span are out to change that. Join Dylan Garrett on this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, as he welcomes Arch Rao, Founder and CEO of SPAN, to discuss how his company is reinventing the humble electrical panel for a modern, electrified home. Drawing on his experience at Tesla Energy, Arch explains how SPAN’s smart panel enables homeowners to monitor, control, and optimize their energy use, without costly service upgrades. He shares how SPAN is helping accelerate the adoption of solar, EVs, and batteries through intelligent load management and design aesthetics. From forging utility partnerships to scaling hardware manufacturing, Arch reveals what it takes to build climate-impactful hardware and unlock the next era of smart home energy systems.

Wave energy has the potential to provide up to 66% of U.S. electricity needs, but offshore systems have long struggled with cost, durability, and scalability. All that is about to change. In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett welcomes Inna Braverman, founder and CEO of Eco Wave Power, to explore how her company is making wave energy commercially viable through an innovative onshore approach. Inna shares her personal journey from surviving the Chernobyl disaster as an infant to becoming a pioneer in clean energy at just 24. She explains why building on existing coastal infrastructure reduces costs and risks, how wave energy’s 90% availability rate complements solar and wind, and why focusing on achievable early markets is key to scaling climate tech.