reSee.it - Related Video Feed

In Oak Ridge, Tennessee, we're constructing three phases of experimental nuclear power plants known as small modular reactors (SMRs). These SMRs are designed to be smaller, more affordable, and safer than conventional power plants, utilizing fuel pebbles instead of fuel rods. These pebbles contain simulated uranium specs and byproducts. Google is our client, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions and requiring substantial clean power due to increased AI usage. Kairos Power plans to build a fleet of these SMRs, targeting a 2030 completion date, to provide Google with clean and safe nuclear power for the long term.

The speaker argues that the Iran conflict has a “silver lining” by accelerating the shift away from fossil fuels. They claim the war has shut off roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply and reduces natural gas availability, driving countries to seek low-carbon energy sources. They focus on low energy nuclear reactions (LENR), also called “cold fusion,” describing it as a natural phenomenon consistent with physics but “finicky.” They say conventional physicists have avoided it, in part due to prior reliance on oil and gas, and that the argument has changed as countries seek energy that does not emit carbon dioxide. The speaker contrasts LENR with nuclear fission and with fossil and gas options. They mention Fukushima (2011), note the nuclear waste and fuel-rod process in fission, and describe conventional power generation routes as involving steam turbines driven by boiled water. They argue gas turbines create noise and use natural gas, and they claim the new need is for a “cleaner way to boil water” to drive steam turbines. They present LENR as a technology they say can heat water using a desktop-scale device, without massive infrastructure, high temperatures, lasers, or magnetic fields, and without runaway criticality. They then describe a Japan-based company, Clean Planet, and its “QHE boiler” (quantum hydrogen energy). The speaker says Clean Planet has developed this technology using hydrogen introduced into lattices of other elements—specifically nickel and copper—claiming fusion releases excess heat. They state the company claims each desktop module can generate 24 kilowatts of heat, while also stating the output is heat rather than direct electricity. They also claim there is no risk of meltdown and no radioactive waste, and that the process does not emit radiation. Clean Planet is described as having substantial backing and investment: the speaker says it has received investment support from Mitsubishi, received about 6.8 million dollars equivalent from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (2025) with plans for a production facility, and raised nearly 13 million dollars by February of the current year through a Series B process. The speaker lists six investors including Sankei Building Company, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and a Mura of Japan entity, plus the Tohoku University Startup Incubation Center. An advisor named Tokutaro Nakai is described as a former Vice Minister for the Environment of Japan and an advisor to Nippon Steel. The speaker describes another system referenced earlier: interviewing James Martinez (Brillouin, California), and says multiple companies worldwide are working on LENR variations. They also claim Clean Planet has obtained 117 patents across 23 countries, and they emphasize that the company avoids the term “cold fusion,” using “quantum hydrogen energy” and other names instead. The speaker connects LENR heat to electricity generation via steam turbines and argues the technology could support decentralized power. They estimate that 24 kilowatts of heat could translate into about 10 kilowatts of electricity (via a presumed turbine efficiency), and they outline scaling scenarios: 100 units for about 1 megawatt and 1,000 units for about 1 gigawatt. They say LENR could operate 24/7 and reduce dependence on oil shipments from the Persian Gulf, while hydrogen and heavy water are described as potential inputs. They propose pairing LENR systems with battery storage and cite Chinese battery makers (CATL, BYD, Gotion) and claims of high cycle life and fast charging. They suggest this combination could enable home and commercial energy use without relying on solar or a traditional grid connection, with hydrogen distribution as the recurring supply mechanism. Finally, the speaker argues the broader outcome is a pivot away from hydrocarbons driven by the energy shock from the Iran conflict, while noting a multiyear rollout and near-term licensing of LENR tech to boiler manufacturers. They close by mentioning plans to provide more coverage and to reach out to Clean Planet for an interview.

Speaker 0 notes that the energy solutions list for energy-hungry data centers was short and contained one thing: gas. They ask why not gas and renewables. Speaker 1 responds: "the what one has to appreciate is the intensity of energy." As an engineer, they state: "the mix of energy doesn't matter. How much is wind? How much solar? We like to advertise that. Kilohounces matter because energy intensity has to shift, not the mix." They argue that solar power cannot produce cement or steel and that "they are very energy intensive." Therefore, "you still need a gas based heating or" (implying gas is necessary). They add: "Physics. It's against physics. Fine. Absolutely. Physics don't allow do it." They emphasize evaluating energy mix changes in the context of "jewels of energy," noting the world still needs to progress and must build infrastructure—steel, cement, fuels. The challenge is how to change the energy mix while also building data centers and consuming more energy. They describe the current problem as "single threaded with the gas fired power plant, maybe a little bit of nuclear. Nuclear? Renewable remain in the mix, cannot bring the amount of jewels we need to produce this infrastructure which is required in the world."

The conversation centers on rare earths and critical minerals as key “leverage” in the ongoing war dynamic between the US and China, described as a modern equivalent to oil. Mario argues that Trump’s decision to get into the war—framed as a “big gamble”—could be tied to gaining leverage over China, which holds leverage through rare earths. He links this leverage to global energy and an “energy choke point,” and asks Lippy/Anupam to explain how big the issue is for the West and US security, when China gained the edge, whether it is reversible, and the national security risk. Anupam says oil once dominated geopolitics, but rare earth and other minerals that power modern economies are “the new oil.” He asserts that militarily, technologically, and for AI and supercomputing, nothing like the described way of life can be made without rare earths. He adds that anything powered by electricity and much consumer tech uses rare earths and critical materials. He claims that 90% or more than 90% of rare earth production is controlled by one country (China), and that attempted tariffs against China were not pursued because stopping Chinese rare earth shipments could shut down major production lines quickly. He cites an example where one large motor-company production line stopped within about six weeks after rare earths stopped shipping, and that defense primes would not be able to produce defense systems if disruption continued. The discussion distinguishes “lights” versus “heavies.” Anupam states EVs use light rare earth magnets, while defense equipment uses “heavy” rare earths that are temperature sensitive, and he claims drones and modern warfare rely on rare earths. Mario reinforces that everything becomes a switch for the US defense sector. They then discuss how rare earths became outsourced and why China gained dominance. Anupam says America offshored production to make goods faster and cheaper over decades, not necessarily maliciously, and that China developed an entire processing and supply chain over about 30 years. He says China got technology and know-how from earlier US processing instruction in the 1990s, and later grew into a competitor controlling critical materials needed for manufacturing. A key point is described as bipartisan and international: Anupam says the European Union policy proposes no country producing more than 60% of these critical materials, while today 90% or more is produced in China. He says the US is increasing government support through floor pricing, debt financing, and equity investments for critical materials companies. He describes deglobalization as accelerating beyond COVID-era trends, but says for rare earths it is an even bigger threat. A major operational deadline is raised: Lippy states the Pentagon cannot buy systems containing Chinese-origin rare earth materials after January 1st, 2027, “in less than six months.” Anupam says this is a law taking effect then, not an executive decree, and it creates a defense-specific requirement: anything sold to defense cannot have a “Chinese nexus.” He contrasts this with EV companies, which he says do not have that issue in the same way. They describe shifting restrictions and enforcement. Anupam says that three days before the conversation, the US banned certain rare earth material companies (including MP Materials and USA Rare Earths) from procuring Chinese equipment and chemicals, because most US processing depends on Chinese equipment, and without that equipment and know-how the US cannot process rare earth materials. He says regulations keep changing weekly, and that an economy cannot function if the ability to trade elements changes on a weekly basis. The group discusses company-level implications. Anupam says their focus is “heavy rare earths,” especially dysprosium and terbium used in defense. He claims their company is the only non-Chinese nexus outside China and argues that most Western rare earth companies still have Chinese connections through equipment, chemicals, control panels, and other parts. He describes an example involving a research organization and the inability to buy Chinese equipment after China stopped selling “to non-friends,” which forced rebuilding from scratch. He asserts that they were positioned by timing and location, and that their lack of Chinese nexus is a strategic advantage. They also cover permitting and geography. Anupam says all rare earths (specifically heavies) have uranium and thorium, and that processing creates radioactive byproducts. He claims another company attempted to build processing in the United States (Texas) but pulled the project because it could not get an EPA permit. He says Saskatchewan is suited because uranium-handling infrastructure and permitting exist, citing “Uranium City,” and asserts certain radioactive-related processing steps cannot be done elsewhere in the US but can be handled in Saskatchewan. They describe building facilities and scaling quickly. Anupam says they acquired a heavy rare earth mine in Canada within 12 months, acquired 80% offtake from an SRC facility shown behind him, set up heavy rare earth metallization, acquired PMT Critical Metals in Ohio, announced financing, and planned pilot magnet manufacturing. He says they formed an agreement with JOGMEC for magnet-related expertise and knowledge transfer. They state the US Army selected them to build facilities on an army base (Utah). Finally, they return to industrial base and replenishment. Mario argues the US has depleted munitions and has low domestic manufacturing share compared with WWII (15% to 20% now versus ~60+% then), and asks how the US will restock and rebuild capacity for hypersonic and drone-heavy conflicts, tying the industrial base challenge back into the rare earth supply chain. Anupam says scaling manufacturing is a 10–15 year journey because it took 40–45 years to give away capacity, and that the approach should focus on faster infrastructure for refining, metallization, and magnet manufacturing. He says their speed is part of the solution: they moved rapidly from being “on paper” to acquiring mines, off-take, metallization facilities, and magnet lines, and that similar acceleration is needed across sectors. Anupam adds technical points: he says their hydrofluoric-acid-free process reduces exposure and capex/opex, and they use automation and AI/robotics to reduce labor intensity, noting a plant scale comparison where “China” needed 60 people while their approach uses two. The conversation concludes that while the work is to support defense now, scaling to allied and broader supply is part of the longer roadmap.

Speaker 0 discusses gas prices, claiming they are wrecking the farmers and questions whether gas should be at this price. He attributes the oil shortage to a War with Iran, which he says was caused by “the tiny hats and the president.” He then says he checked a government website that breaks down petroleum coming in and going out, noting that “down below, you see that there’s actually more coming in now than there was a year ago.” He asks why prices are higher and suggests that someone might be lying about something, noting a discrepancy with claims that refining is insufficient. Speaker 0 continues by referencing the 1970s and stating that they “pulled the exact same playbook,” and he intends to have the audience hear a quote from “the Shah of Iran” about gas lines. He recalls: “Have you seen the lines of cars stretching for blocks, in some cases for miles, waiting to get gas… And you cannot you have imported more oil than any time in the past. Well, not recently, we haven't. You have?” He then remarks, “So after that video, we can see that there’s really no shortage and the gas prices are just being jacked up on purpose.” He asks who’s pulling the strings and answers, “the tiny hats,” asserting that the tiny hats “control the banks, control all of these things, manipulate the numbers, and then kinda screw the people.” He concludes by urging readers to notice the connection to Iran and says it’s “interesting,” leaving the audience to think about it, and ends with a reference to a 1976 water car. Speaker 2 introduces a tangential topic about Stan Meyer’s invention, the water fuel cell, which “takes the place of his old gas tank.” He explains that the water fuel cell “breaks down water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen,” and that hydrogen is used to run his dune buggy. Speaker 1 adds a note about what to use for the fuel cell: “I don't care if you use rain water, well water, city water, ocean water. If you don't have any fresh water, go ahead and use snow.” If there is no snow available, he suggests using salt water, claiming there is “no adverse effect to the fuel cell.”

Speaker 0 says that the richest people in the world have recently started telling people they need to produce more energy, which they find “a little weird” because the same group has spent at least the past fifteen years—since Al Gore became famous—telling people the opposite. Speaker 0 claims they said energy is not the source of life or the base of civilization, but instead the cause of humanity’s downfall: the destruction of the earth and the main reason for climate change. Speaker 0 further states that CO2 is the reason it is getting warmer and that this warming happens because climate cycles are part of nature, including the example that glaciers existed and now do not. Speaker 0 says this group previously taught that burning fossil fuels was not only bad for the environment but a sin, and that society should be organized around being “carbon conscious” because they “love the earth.” Speaker 0 then claims that the same people, including Larry Fink of BlackRock, have since said they are going to take a pause on concern about global warming and that society needs more electricity. Speaker 0 states that most electricity on Earth is produced by boiling water to move turbines, and that a small portion uses radioactive material in nuclear reactors, while most generation is from coal, then natural gas, and some oil. Speaker 0 characterizes this as essentially industrial-age technology: refining and cleaning, but fundamentally the same process of burning fuel to boil water and generate power. Speaker 0 says these figures who previously framed that technology as inefficient and morally wrong are now calling for a massive expansion of it. Speaker 0 links this shift to AI, describing artificial intelligence as a dramatic, quantum increase in processing power that enables computers to reason and mimic human thinking, replacing a lot of human labor. Speaker 0 states that AI is incredibly demanding of power and will require far more electricity than most people understood. Speaker 0 concludes that society will need to put on hold—and invert—its concerns about global warming in order to build AI.

James describes the process of building data centers as difficult because real estate, data center, and technology stakeholders “don’t have any practical understanding of what it’s gonna take,” leading to “a totally different language” and “a mess,” which he calls a “total disaster” when these groups come together. Todd responds that, even with extreme demand for power and the war in the Middle East creating “a stranglehold on the world's energy infrastructure,” he believes there is “never been a better time to look at alternatives.” He argues that if scalable decentralized energy became real, it would not “collapse everything,” but would cause a “reconfiguration,” which he says “should have been this way a long time ago,” and he notes that the energy discussions “started a long time ago in DC.” James cites a book called *The Energy Conversation* by Nora Mackabee, saying people involved with energy conversations took him to DC and introduced him to others attempting to bring in the kind of technology he has been discussing. He emphasizes that preparation and discussions should involve more than just political people, and he frames energy independence as “a national security issue,” with energy priorities “number one.” The conversation connects energy to military modernization, stating that “every, even the military equipment is going electric,” due to battery technology breakthroughs, with “eventually… electric tanks” and “electric military aircraft.” James adds that this could involve a technology industry that could “sit on a military base and recharge all the batteries… and keep everything going remotely.” Todd and James also discuss small modular reactors (SMRs), noting that this approach is “stalled” because nuclear rods must be installed on site and can be stolen to make a “dirty bomb.” They contrast this with LENR, saying LENR involves “none of that danger involved,” specifically “not uranium rods.” They claim LENR proponents are “very open” about what it is, how it works, and what they are doing, and state they have been “tested so many times” and have “never hidden at all.” James further states that the government’s suppression of these technologies has limited progress, and he contrasts it with Trump’s stated obsession with obtaining uranium material from Iran because the material is “so dangerous,” saying LENR is “not” that and involves “no nuke in the nuclear reaction at all,” calling its safety “key.”

The discussion focuses on what “Todd” and others want from cold fusion–related units: a device that can be set on a desk and run to generate heat, along with questions about feasibility and distance to that capability. One participant recalls a prior meeting at Google headquarters/grounds where a unit was operating, with photographs taken and “no press” present. They say many top science people were there, but no one else seemed to know anything, and the demonstration may have involved a turn-the-wheel type mechanism by Robert Goddard designed for that event. The point was that investors need to see something directly; simply looking at a static unit does not convey useful information because “you can’t see heat.” The group also notes difficulties with press access during COVID, describing scenarios where press people bypassed procedures but were still not allowed in because others could not get through. The speaker emphasizes they are discussing units available outside the company and want to be “the first to buy a unit.” The conversation then shifts to plans for showcasing technology for an audience: robots walking around, cold fusion devices being used, drones delivering smoothies, and experimenting with an old used EV battery as home storage after hacking it for storage. A participant says they could have sent updates by email or text but came in person to thank them because an event “changed things for the country.” They add that targets should not be put into emails. Regarding the technical and investment direction, the speaker refers to earlier expectations that the system would be “a hybrid boiler” generating electricity, contrasting that with investors wanting electricity “now.” They then cite Jensen Huang of Nvidia, who said the world needs “a thousand times more electricity than we have in the entire world to run AI,” and connect this to scale requirements: they say some data centers run at “one gigawatt of continuous,” while producing “one gigawatt of output from cold fusion requires some scale, a lot of scale, massive scale,” and would not be near that yet. They also note cold fusion would not match the energy density output of a gas turbine, and they describe a belief that it will not aim in that direction initially. Finally, they argue that the plans to power large data centers won’t work for a long time, specifically mentioning the “grid approach.” The speaker says the grid is already stressed and suggests the plans themselves are not harmonious with broader needs, implying that powering all these data centers is not expected to be feasible.

The discussion says that when the technology finally comes out, it will trigger other technologies to emerge because it has been the most open and visible for a long time. The speaker describes the work as an alliance or partnership with nature, contrasting it with “lecturing” from the World Economic Forum and others who claim there are too many people, that people are “in their way,” and that activities are polluting everything. The speaker says that if those critics’ concerns are real, they should endorse the proposed alternatives, rather than lecturing. Another point is about nuclear power: people are portrayed as not wanting nuclear power plants in their backyard (NIMBY), tied to exaggerated narratives about the Three Mile Island incident in the 1970s. Nuclear plants are described as taking about fifteen years to build and facing massive cost overruns, with roughly five years to obtain permits. The transcript references Trump’s claim about building nuclear power plants and says that even if projects begin, it would likely be too late compared to an “AI race,” which is described as already being “done and over” by that time. In contrast, the technology discussed is presented as safe and distributed, involving hundreds of people, scientists, and engineers, and suitable for locations including homes, neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, and military bases. It is described as not requiring special transportation with men in suits or “alien suits” and as not involving irradiation. The conversation then shifts to how the technology could apply to Todd’s home. Todd has solar panels that were affected by Florida storms, and he also has a food forest and already understands off-grid money. The question is what off-grid power generation would mean to him and what it would replace, with suggestions including replacing the water heater. The technology is described as being retrofit-sized (not gigantic), fitting on a table or in a space at home, and producing hot water and electricity as a byproduct. The transcript notes that the exact implementation is unclear because “the whole thing’s changed.” The proposed setup includes battery storage: the system could produce steady power (e.g., about one kilowatt 24/7) and run continuously while charging batteries. It does not need to meet peak demand directly because the batteries can cover higher usage during waking hours, such as for a hair dryer, while the steady output supports overall home needs.

Jensen Huang (NVIDIA) discusses how the amount of compute—and the energy required for that compute—is likely to increase dramatically, moving from “a hundred times” to “a thousand times” compared with current levels. He frames future computing as two simultaneous shifts: it will be intelligent and contextually aware with generative outputs, and it will be continuous rather than based on prerecorded retrieval that is initiated only when prompted. The discussion contrasts concerns about today’s AI being “backward looking” and copying previous work, potentially leading to feedback loops where people rely on AI and become stagnant without new regenerative creativity. Jensen Huang’s described future addresses this by arguing that software will not remain static code stored on a hard drive; instead, people will ask AI to write software in real time as needed (for example, generating a Photoshop clone to edit an image or generating an original movie tailored to a preference). Creating such continuous generative experiences is said to require a tremendous amount of energy—“a thousand times more” than today’s levels. Speakers note that existing energy sources cannot easily support this scale. The conversation states that it cannot be done on hydrocarbons, not even on nuclear due to long build-out time, and not on solar because current energy sources are insufficient. It also emphasizes efficiency: having the ability to use vastly more energy does not mean it should be used, and continuous regeneration is not always the more efficient approach. Speaker 0 then argues for limiting market cap and having these groups invest themselves without government backing or government liability protection, suggesting a free-market approach rather than government-directed competition framed as an arms race. Speaker 2 responds that pursuit of “superintelligence” requires centralized power and therefore cannot be decentralized. The conversation claims this centralized effort is being directed toward a quest for superintelligence connected to world domination and competition, particularly framed as an attempt to “beat China,” and concludes that once superintelligence is achieved, humanity’s fate would be in question.