Today: Fusion company TAE Technologies was facing a funding crunch last year when it found an unlikely partner in the president of the United States; solid-state batteries for electric vehicles; U.S. farmers get a biofuel boost.

Welcome back: Trump Media & Technologies, the parent company of the president’s social-media company Truth Social, is embarking on a $6 billion foray into power generation with an unlikely partner pursuing an unlikely technology, one that has yet to produce a single watt of electricity.

In December it agreed to merge with TAE Technologies in a deal that would bring investing in fusion--the energy source that powers the Sun, long considered the ultimate clean-energy prize--to the markets for the first time.

The combined company plans to start construction this year on a fusion plant that would eventually increase to 50 megawatts, enough to power tens of thousands of homes, with a goal to generate electricity by 2031.

Despite the association with the president, TAE Chief Executive Michl Binderbauer wants his company to stay neutral politically. “We’re neither blue nor red. I always say this is not political. We’re trying to make electrons for every human being.”

However, longtime investor Michael Schwab, who is set to become chairman of the combined company when the deal closes, said the tie-up makes Trump “the greenest president we’ve ever had.” 

Imagine an electric pickup that could tow a boat from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe; that could charge in the dead of winter in the time it takes for you to get back from the loo, writes the Journal's autos columnist Dan Neil.

Finnish startup Donut Lab claims to have created the first production-ready solid-state battery (SSB) for electric vehicle production.

It says its battery has an energy density roughly twice that of typical lithium iron phosphate batteries. It can charge in five minutes, has a practically unlimited lifespan, is unaffected by heat and cold, and contains no rare earth, precious metals or flammable liquid electrolytes, the company says.

A report published in June 2025 by Vantage Market Research forecasts the global market for SSBs will grow from just over $1 billion in 2024 to $56 billion by 2035. According to the outlet CarNewsChina, CATL has already begun rehearsing small-scale production. 

Farmers and processors are poised to benefit from rules requiring more biofuels for use at the nation’s gas stations and truckstops.

The Journal's Patrick Thomas reports that President Trump released long-awaited quotas that dictate how much biofuel made from crops must be blended into the gasoline and diesel supply. The new rule increases biomass-based diesel—which is partly derived from soybeans—blending by more than 60%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. It raises the biofuel requirement for all fuel by a lower percentage.

The regulatory requirement for U.S. refiners to blend billions of gallons of biofuel into fuel is closely watched by corn and soybean farmers.

Tell me what you think: Send me your feedback and suggestions at perry.cleveland-peck@wsj.com or reply to any newsletter. If you were forwarded this newsletter, you can sign up here.

• Meta Platforms agreed to a deal with Entergy Louisiana to fund new energy infrastructure for its massive data center project. (WSJ)
   
• The Trump administration is seeking to halt the remaining offshore wind projects in the US, offering buyouts to companies. (FT)
   
• BYD reported weaker-than-expected results for 2025, reflecting a challenging period for the Chinese EV automaker. (WSJ)
   
• China, Spain and other countries increasingly rely on renewables, helping them to avoid oil and gas price volatility. (Canary Media)
   
• One roaster’s ride on the roller coaster of coffee pricing helps explain the many reasons consumers keep paying more for a cup of joe. (WSJ)
   
• Urban honeybees have proliferated in US cities, with over 400 registered hives in NYC, but their presence has raised concerns. (Bloomberg)
   
• California’s Central Valley experienced its longest continuous stretch of tule fog this century, snarling highways but sustaining orchards. (WSJ)
   
• EU advisory group calls on companies to voluntarily submit climate reports, even if they don't have to. (Dow Jones Risk Journal)

WSJ Pro Sustainable Business gives you an inside look at how companies are tackling sustainability. Send your comments to editor Perry Cleveland-Peck at perry.cleveland-peck@wsj.com and reporters Clara Hudson at clara.hudson@wsj.com and Yusuf Khan at yusuf.khan@wsj.com. Follow us on LinkedIn at perrycp, clara-hudson and yusuf_khan.