This Week in Cleantech (09/11/2026) - China's solar gambit pays off

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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 Tim McDonnell of Semafor, who discusses how solar has overtaken coal as China's top power source for the first time, after a massive build-up.

This week’s “Cleantecher of the Week” is Kofi Asante, founder and CEO of Bluecore Energy. Just two months after launching out of stealth, Asante's startup closed an oversubscribed $50 million seed round this week to build small nuclear reactors mounted on floating barges, generating clean power for ports and nearby infrastructure without needing a fixed site.

This Week in Cleantech — September 11, 2026

1. Massachusetts Will Require New Data Centers to Use Clean Energy — Bloomberg
2. Carbon Capture Won’t Save Us Anytime Soon — The New Republic
3. Why California Is Reconsidering Its Decision to Shun Nuclear Power — The New York Times
4. China’s cleantech exports are widening the “energy dominance” gap — Latitude Media
5. China's solar beats coal — Semafor

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