Meta quits global renewables pledge after backing 10 gas plants to power AI data centers

Meta is backing 10 gas plants - and just quit a global renewables pledge

Facebook and Instagram's parent company, Meta, has quit RE100, the global corporate initiative whose members commit to using 100% renewable electricity. That's because Meta is bankrolling a fleet of new gas-fired power plants to fuel its expanding AI data centers. Recharge first reported in an exclusive story on July 23 that Meta and RE100 had parted ways because the tech giant no longer met the initiative's technical criteria. Meta joined RE100 as Facebook in 2016 and pledged to cover its entire operation with renewable electricity by 2020. The tech giant stated in 2021 that it had reached that target. Meta has always done so with renewable energy certificates (RECs) and PPAs, not by powering directly with renewables. Then came AI's insatiable appetite for power. At Meta's largest data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana, the original power plan called for three new gas plants totaling about 2.26 gigawatts (GW). In March 2026, utility Entergy Louisiana announced a second agreement: Meta will fund seven additional combined-cycle gas plants, totaling more than 5.2 GW. That takes the Louisiana buildout to 10 gas plants and roughly 7.5 GW. Meta is also tied to a 200-megawatt (MW) behind-the-meter gas project in Ohio announced in June 2025. Meta isn't alone - Google has agreed to buy power from a 400 MW Illinois gas plant with carbon capture, while Microsoft signed a 20-year deal for a 2.67 GW gas plant at its West Texas data center. But its Big Tech rivals Apple, Google, and Microsoft remain on RE100's 444-company roster. Meta says it still matches 100% of its annual electricity use with "clean and renewable energy" and has supported more than 30 GW of wind, solar, battery, nuclear, and geothermal projects. Entergy's Louisiana package also includes Meta funding for up to 2.5 GW of renewables. But that annual matching is a big fudge. Meta can buy renewable energy certificates or back clean energy elsewhere, but its data centers will be using fossil-fuel-generated electricity around the clock. Supporting new renewables on the grid and on paper doesn't make those gas plants renewable, and they'll run and cause harmful emissions for decades. Meta says gas is necessary where utilities cannot meet its AI power needs, and it's now seeking certificates for lower-methane gas. But we know renewables can power data centers, because Big Tech is busy commissioning solar farms to do so left and right, including Meta. So Meta hasn't abandoned renewables altogether; it's just got its fingers crossed behind its back. It has abandoned the clean, unambiguous promise that put it in RE100: 100% renewable electricity. When AI growth and that pledge collided, the pledge was the goalpost that moved. If you've ever considered going solar, make it easy by finding a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing by checking out EnergySage. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it's free to use, and you won't get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online, and you'll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

Meta Breaks Renewable Energy Promise To Power Data Centers - Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)

Meta Pledged 100% Renewable Energy in 2016: 10 Years Later, It's Ditching the Plan The artificial intelligence boom is forcing Big Tech to rethink its clean-energy commitments. Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is the latest example. The company behind Facebook is backing away from a major renewable energy pledge as it helps finance natural gas plants to power its expanding data center footprint. Data Center Growth It turns out powering data centers and AI ambitions requires countless amounts of power. To get that power, Meta has helped fund construction on new natural gas power plants. This includes a gas power plant in Ohio and 10 natural gas power plants in Louisiana. News of the exit from RE100 comes after Meta met its 100% renewable energy goals in 2021, a year after its original target date of 2020. Meta told TechCrunch it remains committed to matching its data center usage with "100% clean and renewable energy." While Meta hasn't abandoned its renewable energy initiatives, the exit from RE100 likely means the company won't be able to be 100% compliant with the rules of the group going forward. Other Tech Companies According to TechCrunch, other technology giants that may be funding data centers are still part of the initiative's membership. That list includes Apple, Alphabet and Microsoft. While the RE100 requires members to source 100% renewable electricity and report progress toward that goal, the initiative does not prohibit companies from using fossil fuels elsewhere in their operations. Still, there's growing tension across the technology industry: companies that spent years building clean energy strategies are now rethinking their promises. Years ago, if you heard that Tesla CEO Elon Musk was buying a gas turbine company, you probably wouldn't have believed it. But with growing power needs, Musk has ditched his pure clean energy initiatives, doing just that. Musk and SpaceX spent $1 billion to acquire APR Energy, a gas turbine company, to help power the company's future energy needs. The power crunch fueling the next stages of AI growth is pushing even clean-energy champions like Musk toward the fastest available source -- in his case, gas. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.