A European fund under Breakthrough Energy Ventures, founded by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to accelerate the development of innovative sustainable technology, is investing EUR12m (USD12.3m) in the I-ROX venture with I-Pulse, a US company that develops pulsed-power technology, as reported by Bloomberg on November 21. Pulsed-power technology uses high-intensity surges from releasing energy that has been accumulated over a period of time. The I-ROX venture will use pulsed-power technology to crack rocks and mineral ores, a process in mining that consumes the most energy. In addition to saving energy, pulsed-power technology can save a significant amount of time and reduce carbon emissions generated from mineral exploration, compared with conventional mechanical crushing and grinding. 

As part of the organization’s effort to support the global energy transition, Breakthrough Energy Ventures has funded more than 100 startups focused on clean energy technologies. Recently, it has invested in Dandelion Energy, a US company offering geothermal systems that can reduce carbon expense, and WeaveGrid, a company that develops electrification software to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles. Breakthrough Energy Ventures will also work with Wavemaker Impact, GenZero, and Temasek to establish an agri-tech startup to develop low-emission rice cultivation solutions in Asia.  

Sources:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-21/gates-led-fund-backs-pulsed-power-technology-to-clean-up-mining?leadSource=uverify%20wall

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/i-rox-announces-12m-funding-round-from-breakthrough-energy-ventures-europe-to-advance-the-application-of-pulsed-power-in-the-mining-industry-301684019.html

https://breakthroughenergy.org/our-work/breakthrough-energy-ventures/bev-portfolio/

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/weavegrid-announces-35-million-series-b-investment-to-enable-the-electric-transportation-transition-301678127.html

https://electrek.co/2022/11/15/dandelion-energy-70m-funding-round-geothermal-vermont/

https://www.techinasia.com/temasek-wavemaker-impact-bill-gates-rice-decarbonisation