This Week in Cleantech (08/28/2026) - Rooftop solar takes a huge hit

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This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.

This week's episode features special guest Dan Gearino from Inside Climate News, who lays out how new tariffs and the phaseout of federal tax credits have dealt a heavy blow to the rooftop solar industry.

This week’s “Cleantecher of the Week” is Richard Wang, CEO and co-founder of Voya Energy, which just raised $35 million to turn scrap aluminum into backup power for data centers. Instead of diesel generators, Voya's system runs an electrochemical reaction that pulls energy out of aluminum with zero carbon pollution, aiming to be quieter, smaller, and cleaner than the diesel backup that's become a flashpoint in local data center opposition. The company plans to have generators ready for on-site testing by the end of 2027, with nearly a dozen companies already lined up for pilot demonstrations.

This Week in Cleantech — August 28, 2026

1. Exclusive: 75% of Americans Now Oppose Local Data Center Development — Heatmap
2. The Clean Energy Transition Has A Grid Problem. Here’s How To Fix It. — Atmos
3. US building twice as much gas-fired capacity as China in AI boom, analysis finds | Fossil fuels — The Guardian
4. Hyperscalers’ Off-Grid Power Push Comes With Risks — The Wall Street Journal
5. Rooftop Solar Is Having a Rough One — Inside Climate News

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