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Boom's Jet Engines Go Green: Powering Data Centers
10 Dec
Summary
- Boom Supersonic will sell jet engines as stationary power plants.
- Data center startup Crusoe is the first customer for Boom's turbines.
- Profits from power generation will fund Boom's supersonic jet development.
Boom Supersonic has announced a significant pivot, planning to sell its turbine engines as stationary power plants. The company's initial customer will be data center startup Crusoe, which has committed to purchasing 29 of Boom's 42-megawatt turbines for $1.25 billion. This deal will provide 1.21 gigawatts of power for Crusoe's data centers, with first deliveries expected in 2027.
This new venture, named Superpower, has secured $300 million in funding. Boom founder and CEO Blake Scholl views this as a crucial revenue stream, analogous to SpaceX's Starlink, to finance the development of their Overture supersonic aircraft. Superpower units share 80% of their parts with Boom's airborne Symphony engine, leveraging existing technology.
While the cost per kilowatt is on the higher side compared to some competitors, Boom is targeting 39% efficiency and plans future upgrades to combined cycle capabilities. The company aims to scale production significantly, with plans to produce 1 gigawatt in 2028 and double that in 2029, potentially accelerating the timeline for commercial supersonic flight.
