Two Santa Fe companies receive over $1.5 million in state energy awards. The City of Santa Fe Economic Development Division announced on July 16 that two local companies have received more than $1.5 million through the State of New Mexico's Advanced Energy Awards for their work in next-generation energy technologies. Molten Salt Solutions was awarded $900,000 for research and development to expand production of enriched lithium, a material used in fusion energy and other carbon-free systems. Liberty Fusion received a $625,000 research and development award to advance its modular fusion energy system, building on technology originally developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Combined, the awards are intended to help accelerate commercialization of technologies that could support domestic energy production, manufacturing, and national competitiveness. "Today's announcement is another reminder that Santa Fe is home to entrepreneurs tackling some of the world's most important challenges," said Johanna Nelson, Director of the City of Santa Fe Economic Development Division. "We're grateful to the state for investments that help innovative companies grow here in New Mexico." Other recipients this year include Airloom Energy, which will partner with Kit Carson Electric Cooperative on a planned 5-megawatt wind energy demonstration project aimed at expanding advanced energy innovation across North Central New Mexico. The City of Santa Fe said it supports businesses creating high-quality jobs and advancing new technologies as part of efforts to shape New Mexico's innovation economy.

Airloom to showcase roller coaster style wind turbines at CES 2026. Airloom claims its design reduces mass by 40 percent and cuts deployment time by 85 percent compared to legacy methods. Airloom is set to showcase its innovative wind power technology at CES 2026, positioning it as a sustainable solution for the surging energy demands of AI data centers. Unlike traditional massive turbines, Airloom's design utilizes a 20-to-30-meter high track system where adjustable wings circulate like a roller coaster to generate electricity. This approach reportedly requires 40% less mass and 96% fewer unique parts than standard horizontal axis turbines while delivering comparable output. The company claims its system is 47% cheaper and 85% faster to deploy, having already broken ground on a pilot site last June to validate these metrics. Stay ahead of the curve! Don't miss out on the latest insights, trends, and analysis in the world of data, technology, and startups. Subscribe to our newsletter and get exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.