DATA CENTER BACKLASH

Texas Gov. Abbott says data centers "dug their own grave" for ignoring local communities; 61% of Americans now oppose a nearby data center, up from 49% in March. https://www.axios.com/2026/08/23/greg-abbott-texas-data-centers-ai-backlash

PA Gov. Shapiro signs order requiring data centers to cover their own power/water costs, use clean energy, and win local approval before building. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/08/18/pennsylvania-gov-josh-shapiro-set-order-new-limits-data-center-development/

MAHA coalition urges Trump not to use AI power demand to justify more coal, pushing solar-plus-storage instead. https://www.axios.com/2026/08/21/ai-data-centers-coal-trump-rfk-maga-warning

POLICY & MANUFACTURING

FCC expands foreign inverter ban to hardwired devices, but adds a safe harbor for manufacturers eligible for Section 45X tax credits. https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/08/21/fcc-updates-foreign-inverter-ban-to-include-wired-devices-adds-45x-safe-harbor/

SEIA: US solar supply chain now fully reshored, module capacity up 37% since 2024; warns 100+ factories and $31B at risk without policy certainty. https://seia.org/news/domestic-solar-manufacturing-booms-during-trump-administration-with-entire-solar-supply-chain-reshored/

DOE redirects $500M clean-steel grant to upgrade Cleveland-Cliffs' coal furnace instead of the original hydrogen-ready plan. https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/green-steel/trump-clean-steel-grant-coal

MARKETS

Batteries now displacing gas peakers as the price-setter in wholesale power markets; CAISO batteries provide 53% of grid-balancing services. https://qz.com/batteries-set-electricity-prices-wholesale-markets-081726

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