Arbor Energy

The future of carbon-negative power is taking shape—right here, right now. After final inspections, our power skid arrived at Arbor's headquarters for integration with our hardware. Soon, this system will serve as the cornerstone of our first pilot, demonstrating how organic waste can become clean, reliable electricity while permanently removing CO2 from the atmosphere. What once existed as design schematics is now metal, circuits, and systems coming together to bring our vision of carbon-negative power technology to life. It’s all happening, and we couldn’t be more energized by what’s ahead.

As 2024 winds down, we’re celebrating the sparks that powered a year of progress. This test of the oxy-methane torch igniter was just one step—but a vital one—on the journey to carbon-negative power. It’s a critical piece of ATLAS, our 1MW pilot system that will prove how organic waste can be turned into clean power while removing CO₂ from the atmosphere. From concept to reality, every achievement this year has been built on teamwork, ingenuity, and a belief in what’s possible. To our team, our partners, and everyone who believes in this mission—thank you. With the first fire of our pilot system on the horizon, we’re entering 2025 with momentum and purpose—ready to light it up and prove what this technology can do.

Spotted at the Arbor office: Who needs ornaments when you’ve got captured CO₂? 🎄 A festive reminder of what we’re building: a future where carbon is no longer part of the problem, but part of the solution.

“Arbor is the first to bring forward a technology that can provide clean baseload energy in a very compact form.” – Clea Kolster, PhD, Lowercarbon Capital Clean baseload power is the backbone of a reliable energy future—providing 24/7 power to data centers, industries, and homes while complementing the intermittency of solar and wind. Arbor’s system, grounded in proven technology and propelled by groundbreaking innovation, offers a smarter, scalable approach to baseload energy. And unlike technologies still years from viability, Arbor is on the brink of producing clean, competitive power in just a few years. Heatmap News recently explored how Arbor is reimagining energy, fusing rocket-inspired engineering with nature’s brilliance to transform organic waste into carbon-negative power. Read more about the science, the mission, and the momentum behind Arbor’s approach:

Meet AJ Fillo, Ph.D., Arbor’s Sr. Combustion & Test Engineer! With a career spanning rocket engines, fluid dynamics, and even designing pyrotechnical water fountains, AJ brings a wealth of expertise—and creativity—to our work of transforming organic waste into clean baseload power and carbon removal. AJ is responsible for unraveling the intricate physics and chemistry behind our gasifier and oxy-combustor systems. “I use first principles as a compass,” he says, “mapping out the physics space so our hardware team has a clear template to build from.” It can be uncharted territory—one that requires the kind of innovative thinking that AJ honed during his time at Relativity Space and in academic research on turbulent fluid mechanics and combustion. AJ is also Arbor’s in-house photographer and videographer, putting his creative gifts to work. AJ came to Arbor for the chance to build something new with a team that cares. “Arbor is genuinely doing something novel that has the potential to change the world,” he shares. “The passion here is unmatched, and the solution we’re building just makes sense—it’s elegant, thoughtful, and ready to meet the challenges ahead.” We’re honored to have AJ’s spirit of curiosity, innovation, and humanity on our team as we work to transform organic waste into carbon-negative power and bring the planet into balance.

Energy experts agree: biomass is an essential part of the clean energy mix, offering 24/7 power that complements wind and solar. But for too long, inefficiencies and environmental concerns have kept its potential locked away. Arbor’s approach changes the equation. By efficiently turning organic waste into clean, carbon-negative power, our technology can tackle two challenges at once: decarbonizing energy and addressing the environmental impact of waste. This Fast Company article from Todd Thomas at WoodChuck.ai delves into why biomass is such a crucial yet underutilized solution in the clean energy transition. It’s an exciting time to rethink what’s possible when innovation meets one of nature’s oldest resources. #circulareconomy #cleanpower #carbonremoval

From aerospace dreams to Earth-saving realities—our CEO Brad Hartwig shared with Mike Schroepfer how a career rooted in rocket engineering evolved into a mission to combat the climate crisis.

We had the honor of welcoming representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to Arbor to share our progress, walk them through our hardware, and dive into the details of our system. We discussed how our technology—fueled by the DOE’s Carbon Negative Shot initiative—can scale carbon-negative power in the years ahead to meet the urgent demands of both climate and energy. With our pilot facility on the horizon, this visit marked an important milestone as we bring this technology to life. Our thanks to the DOE team for their thoughtful questions, their belief in innovation, and their partnership in building a future where clean power and carbon removal work hand in hand to bring the planet into balance.

We’re grateful to Gigascale Capital for spotlighting Arbor in their latest newsletter! It’s a great introduction to how we’re reimagining what’s possible: clean, reliable power that removes legacy emissions.

Last week, Arbor’s headquarters was alive with energy as we welcomed over 120 guests to celebrate a pivotal moment in Arbor’s journey: unveiling the hardware for our 1MW pilot system, ATLAS. ATLAS represents the culmination of two years of rigorous design and testing. Set to begin firing this December, this system will demonstrate how organic waste can be transformed into clean, reliable electricity while permanently removing CO2 from the atmosphere. It’s a tangible step toward achieving our vision of carbon-negative power at scale. Our guests had the opportunity to see our hardware up close, learn about the system’s groundbreaking design, and hear how ATLAS will pave the way for our first commercial project: a 5MW facility set to launch in 2027. The conversations were lively and inspiring, centered on how Arbor’s technology can help meet the world’s growing energy needs while addressing the urgent challenge of emissions. A special thank you to everyone who joined us, including investors, partners, suppliers, a representative from the office of Congressman Ted Lieu, and City of El Segundo mayor Drew Boyles. As ATLAS prepares for its first fire, we’re honored to celebrate with all those who support Arbor’s mission.