Voya Energy Proposes Aluminum-Fueled Generators to Replace Noisy Data Center Diesel Units

Voya Energy plans to use an electrochemical process to turn scrap aluminum into electricity, replacing diesel generators that provide backup power to data centers. The company says the process produces no emissions, toxic waste, or noise. According to Sina Finance, Energy Impact Partners led Voya’s $35 million Series A round in August, giving the company a post-money valuation of $113 million. Voya is one of three energy technology startups named to The Information’s 2026 list of 50 promising technology startups. CEO Richard Wang said the company plans to launch a pilot aluminum-powered generator in 2028 and deliver commercial units to AI data centers and other customers in 2029. The idea remains at an early stage: Voya has built only a basic prototype, and no company has previously used metal as fuel to power commercial industrial facilities. The system would process scrap aluminum, such as cans, into small pellets, which react with an electrolyte to release stored energy as electricity. The consumed aluminum becomes aluminum trihydrate, which can be processed back into pellets. Voya says its system converts 57% of the pellets’ energy into electricity, compared with an average 35% conversion rate for diesel generators. Energy Impact Partners also led Voya’s $13 million seed round in April 2025. Wang said aluminum is nonflammable and can be stored without emissions, and that its energy density is comparable to hydrocarbon fuels.