Meta Exits Major Clean Energy Pact as Natural Gas Powers AI Data Center Push
Meta has withdrawn from the RE100 corporate renewable energy initiative, a clean energy pact it had signed over a decade ago, as it increasingly relies on natural gas to power its hyperscale data centers for artificial intelligence development. The company, parent of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is backing multiple natural gas-fired power plants, including ten in Louisiana capable of generating 7.5 gigawatts of electricity. While Meta continues to match 100% of its annual electricity use with renewable energy through existing wind and solar projects totaling nearly 30 GW, it argues that renewables cannot keep pace with near-term demand projections. The move highlights a growing tension between Big Tech's clean energy commitments and the surging power demands of AI, which are expected to grow 10-15% annually through 2030. Rivals Apple, Google, and Microsoft remain in RE100, though Google and Microsoft have also invested in fossil fuel power. The International Energy Agency notes that data center demand is a significant driver for natural gas and even coal growth.
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