Alan Chang says Fuse Energy aims to fix an inefficient energy chain, arguing up to 20 companies touch each unit of power before it reaches a home.
Chang argues the environment does not require people to use less energy, citing a 30% fall in UK energy use per person over 25 years while China's rose sevenfold.
Chang says US venture capital moves faster and rewards ambition more than European VCs, which put Fuse in a UK-only box despite its multi-country, multi-product plan.
Fuse founder says better energy software, not less usage, is the answer
Fuse Energy is betting that energy is a broken engine of growth, and that engineers with modern software can fix it across the whole chain from generation to retail. Chang argues the sector has misallocated talent and kept demand artificially low, while EVs and AI data centers are about to strain an inefficient grid. Companies, not policy, have to close that gap.
Takeaways
Energy's long supply chain is inefficient and fixable. Up to 20 companies sit between a power plant and a home, and inefficiency at each step keeps costs and carbon high. Fuse applies engineering and software across generation, storage and retail, and offers 24/7 support that Chang says no rival matches.
Using more energy, not less, drives growth. UK energy use per person fell 30% in 25 years and Europe's fell 10%. The US was flat while China rose sevenfold. Chang argues energy is the engine of physical GDP growth, and that engine is currently broken.
Grid coordination and software could cut prices. Scottish wind is paid to switch off while peaker plants run in Manchester and London, which lifts prices. Homes are about 40% of the power economy and could reach 80% with EVs. Regional balancing and grid reinforcement guided by better software would lower costs.
AI data centers could provoke a political backlash. AI is a low single digit share of energy demand, but data centers have grown from megawatts to gigawatts in about four years. Chang warns rising power prices in US Midwest data center regions could trigger local opposition and riots.
Hiring the best talent solves most problems. Chang puts hiring at 80% of the challenge. Fuse takes project engineers largely from SpaceX and Tesla and software engineers from hedge funds and big tech, and avoids the energy industry. Engineers own projects end to end, with no middle managers or product managers.
Companies should deliver most of the solution. Chang says companies should supply about 80% of the fix and policy 10 to 20%. More money is chasing energy projects than are being built. He wants every technology pursued, simpler planning and no subsidies, and calls influencing policy very hard for startups.
US investors back ambition faster than European ones. Chang says US venture capital moves faster and responds to a multi-country, multi-product plan, while European VCs put Fuse in a UK-only box. Fuse grew roughly eight times in 2025 so far and expects ten times by year end.
What Fuse plans to launch
Next year, a micro solar and battery system for renters that plugs into a socket on a balcony or in a garden. Fully loaded cost is under $2 and financial payback is roughly three years.
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On this episode 2
Show 1
In 2026, more markets, an energy network, Fuse's own hardware and bets in recycling, plus perhaps an R and D team for fusion.