Fourth Power, Inc
Middleton, MA
Mechanical Engineering Intern Fourth Power is commercializing the next generation of peak power: a utility-scale thermal energy storage system built to replace aging gas peaker plants with clean, dispatchable capacity across the multi-day durations that are increasingly defining grid stress. The system stores electricity as heat in carbon blocks at temperatures up to 2,400°C, then converts that heat directly into electricity using thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells, dispatching power to the grid in under 10 seconds. Because the system carries no fuel to buy and no exposure to price volatility, it delivers a lower lifetime cost than building a new gas plant, with a power density high enough to fit 100 MW on a single acre. Spun out of MIT and backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, DCVC, and Munich Re Ventures, Fourth Power has raised $45 million and is building a commercial-scale facility in Bedford. Fourth Power has a culture of teamwork, continuous innovation based on first...
