Unless this thing runs on fossil fuels, I don’t think it’s really going to have a big impact on climate change.

I guess there’s an argument that this is taking away engineering hours from projects that might have more practical uses in addressing climate change but I’d counter that sometimes engineers need a break from their usual work to avoid burning out from tedious incremental tasks and rigid processes. A bit of time and space for experimentation can be helpful, reinvigorating, and can lead to future discoveries and inventions if done right.