Image Credits: Moxion Power / Getty Images

A few years ago, the quiet of the woods began to give way to the sound of a diesel generator, when Paul Huelskamp and Alex Meek were hiking near Mount Tamalpais. They saw black smoke coming into the air when they came upon it.

The generator had been deployed to provide power during one of the many public safety shutoffs imposed by California's utilities to prevent wildfires, and Huelskamp was struck by the inanity of it all.

I was wondering if it was ridiculous that this is what we use when we need electricity. We have to burn diesel fuel in an engine and use the mechanical energy from it to make an electrical charge. He said it was absurd.

They talked about how batteries are going to disrupt industries and why portable power generation is a good idea.

Huelskamp said that they couldn't let it go for a couple of weeks. They founded Moxion Power in 2020 and joined Y Combinator in the winter.

Moxion secured a $100 million Series B with participation from Energy Impact Partners. Other investors include Sunbelt Rentals and Amazon.

Sunbelt Rentals has a large number of diesel and gasoline powered generators that provide electricity to construction sites, film locations, concert festivals, and more.