TechCrunch Startup News Exowatt wants to power AI data centers with billions of hot rocks
Nov 14, 2025
A solar-thermal startup is on a mission to deliver electricity for just one cent per kWh. Their innovative P3 unit features lenses and a Stirling engine for continuous power generation. With a 10 million unit backlog and ambitious scaling plans, they're targeting a production of one million units annually. By harnessing thermal storage, they aim for efficiency that beats traditional solar methods. Discover how their approach to concentrated solar thermal technology could revolutionize energy for AI data centers!
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One-Cent Electricity Ambition
- Exowatt aims to deliver electricity for as little as one cent per kWh by radically lowering structural and maintenance costs.
- The company built a modular shipping-container system to scale toward that target through manufacturing learning curves.
Scale To One Million Units
- Scale manufacturing to roughly one million units per year to hit the one-cent-per-kWh target.
- Focus investment and production ramp to leverage learning curves and drive down unit costs.
Rocks-In-A-Box, Simplified
- Exowatt repackages concentrated solar power into a simple, modular P3 box using lenses, heated bricks, and a Stirling engine.
- Systems store heat in thermal bricks for up to five days and can be chained to supply continuous power.