US Clean Energy Stocks Jump 52% as AI Datacenters Drive Power Demand
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 19
US Clean Energy Stocks Jump 52% as AI Datacenters Drive Power Demand
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 19
Summary
A yearlong rebound in US clean energy has tracked datacenter expansion, with the iShares Global Clean Energy ETF up about 52% after plunging roughly 80% from late 2021 to early 2025.
12-year grid-connection delays, power shortages and permitting snags are pushing tech companies to fund their own supply through solar, batteries, wind, fuel cells and, often, natural gas.
330 MW of batteries in Michigan will back a 1.4 GW Oracle datacenter, while Wisconsin regulators are adding about 15 wind or solar projects for Microsoft and Oracle facilities, some paired with gas.
The boom is uneven and carbon-heavy: rooftop solar is seeing little direct benefit, utilities are extending coal and gas plants, and Bloom Energy's fuel-cell business has surged, with its stock up 1,338% in a year.
The shift revives a sector weakened by inflation and Trump-era policy rollbacks, but analysts say its durability still hinges on whether AI power demand proves lasting rather than a bubble.
With AI reviving fossil fuels, can its push for green tech prevent a net loss for the climate?
Beyond the grid, what are the hidden health and environmental costs communities pay for the AI boom?
AI’s Power Surge: How Data Centers Are Driving a Multi-Trillion Dollar Global Energy Transformation
Overview
The global energy landscape is undergoing a major transformation, driven by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and its infrastructure needs. As AI expands, it creates an unprecedented demand for electricity, especially to power large data centers. This surge is pushing governments to support decarbonization and keeping clean energy stocks in focus for the coming years. The need for new power infrastructure is accelerating worldwide, and investors are taking note of AI’s transformative impact. However, the fast and sometimes poorly planned growth of data centers in certain areas could lead to resource challenges, highlighting the importance of responsible planning.