| Reminds me of a similarly vague "statement" made by BOOM supersonic, another YC company. [0] Here's an excerpt: United will purchase 15 of Boom’s ‘Overture’ airliners, once Overture meets United’s demanding safety, operating and sustainability requirements, with an option for 35 more aircraft. Slated to carry passengers in 2029, the net-zero carbon aircraft will fly on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Let me tell you where the problem is. If there is no PENALTY for United or Microsoft to get out of the deal, and/or no upfront payment, it's simply a completely empty statement. Let me give you an example. Here, on HN, today, I solemnly declare that I am available to sign a deal with Helion to purchase 50 MW of power generation, for 10 years, generated by their 1st power plant, starting in 2028. We can pre agree on the price, yes. Let's say $40 per MWh [1]. This is 50 MW * 24 * 365 = 438,000 MWh / year, or ~$16M/year. (correct me if this math is completely wrong). Fantastic! Oh, by the way: nothing will happen to me if I walk away from this deal. I am not giving any upfront payment. Nothing. Just my word. See you in 2028. Or not. p.s. happy to be proven wrong, if Microsoft of Helion (or Boom) are kind enough to provide more details about this "agreement". Besides this, I wish them all the best. Just don't try to sell me this PR BS, please. [0]: https://boomsupersonic.com/united [1]: https://www.nuenergen.com/solutions/smart-grid/price-point |
It probably has something to do with co-location at a Microsoft Azure data center, several of which or being permitted or under construction in Washington State.