Elon Musk has given up on solar power (on Earth)

Imagine walking into Elon Musk's latest operation — xAI is all about natural gas, and SpaceX is pouring resources into orbital data centers. It’s a stark shift away from the solar-powered dream Musk once championed. According to Tim De Chant writing in AI, Musk’s focus has pivoted from the promise of a solar-electric economy to more immediate, tangible energy sources. The reason? The economics and technical hurdles of terrestrial solar just got too big to ignore, especially with cheaper, more reliable options like natural gas. Meanwhile, Musk’s space ventures aim to create data centers in orbit — think about that for a second — making terrestrial solar seem almost... old news. What’s striking here is how a tech billionaire’s priorities can change when faced with real-world constraints. And get this — what Musk’s doing now might actually shape energy strategies for years to come. That shift is subtle now, but it’s exactly the kind of signal that usually kicks off a new cycle.