An updated edition of the April 16, 2026, article.
As industries worldwide increasingly embrace the global energy transition in pursuit of the 2050 net-zero goal, investment in clean energy has grown at an unprecedented pace over the past decade. To this end, the International Energy Agency (IEA) expects global investment in grids, storage, low-emission fuels, nuclear, renewables, efficiency, and electrification to reach nearly $2.2 trillion by the end of 2026, accounting for almost 65% of global energy investment this year.
Traditional growth catalysts, including record-low levelized costs of energy (LCOE) for wind and solar, supportive policy initiatives, and accelerating electric vehicle (EV) adoption, continue to provide a strong foundation for global clean energy expansion. Beyond these established drivers, a powerful new source of demand has emerged — the rapid buildout of AI infrastructure.
The energy-intensive data centers needed to train and operate large language models are creating significant incremental demand for electricity, positioning them as a major growth catalyst for the renewable energy industry.
The IEA highlights that tech giants became the largest corporate buyers of clean energy, accounting for roughly 40% of all global corporate renewable Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) signed last year. With data center electricity consumption projected to nearly double by 2030, renewables should serve as the primary engine to meet this unprecedented load growth.
Beyond tech demand, severe geopolitical instability ongoing in the Middle East has triggered a critical global energy crisis, making energy security a top priority for decision-makers worldwide. This crisis has sharply exposed the fragility of traditional fossil fuel supply chains, driving an aggressive surge in renewable deployment, especially among import-dependent economies. Consequently, this geopolitical shock has transformed clean energy assets into a strategic vehicle for investors seeking to gain exposure to both structural growth trends and enhanced energy resilience.
Crucially, energy storage serves as the indispensable "missing link" in this clean energy architecture. By capturing surplus generation and discharging it during peak demand, battery energy storage systems (BESS) transform intermittent solar and wind into a dependable, 24/7 power supply while providing critical grid stabilization services to prevent outages.
As technology costs decline, batteries are making renewables an economically superior, reliable alternative to traditional fossil fuels. This economic edge, combined with the urgent need for grid flexibility amid the ongoing energy crisis, is driving unprecedented capital flows into the sector. According to the IEA’s World Energy Investment 2026 report, global investment in battery storage is projected to surpass a record-breaking $100 billion this year.
Amid this backdrop, you may consider adding core clean energy stocks like Bloom Energy BE, Plug Power PLUG and Vestas Wind Systems VWDRY to your portfolio to reap the benefits of the booming renewable energy and energy storage space. Exposure to utilities such as Duke Energy DUK may also offer a way to participate in the energy transition, as these companies continue to scale their renewable generation assets.
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Bloom Energy specializes in on-site, non-combustion solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology, providing 24/7, low-carbon electricity for data centers, microgrids, and industrial use. Over the years, the company has grown its footprint to nearly 682 megawatts (MW) of deployed systems in the United States.
On April 13, 2026, BE announced an expanded partnership with Oracle to support the rapid buildout of its AI and cloud computing infrastructure. Under a master services agreement, Oracle intends to procure up to 2.8 gigawatts (GW) of Bloom’s fuel cell systems.
This reflects the solid demand that Bloom Energy’s fuel cell systems enjoy in the renewable energy market.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company’s 2026 sales implies year-over-year growth of 80.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BE’s 2026 earnings reflects a year-over-year improvement of 151.3%.
Plug Power specializes in building an end-to-end green hydrogen ecosystem that spans production, storage, delivery and power generation, helping customers achieve their business objectives while advancing decarbonization efforts.
With more than 74,000 fuel cell systems deployed and over 280 fueling stations installed globally, the company has established a leading position in the hydrogen economy. It is also the largest buyer of liquid hydrogen worldwide. The company is currently developing multiple green hydrogen production plants across North America and Europe, targeting commercial operation by year-end 2028.
On May 20, 2026, the company announced that the 30-megawatt (MW) Barrow Green Hydrogen project in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria (UK), where it is supplying electrolyzers, has reached a final investment decision (FID). Under the finalized agreement, Plug will supply 30 MW of its GenEco Proton Exchange Membrane (“PEM”) electrolyzers.
These developments represent Plug Power’s position as a prime supplier of PEM electrolyzers globally.
The stock boasts a four-quarter average earnings surprise of 13.03%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company’s 2026 sales implies year-over-year growth of 14.3%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Vestas Wind Systems is a renowned designer, manufacturer, installer, and service provider for wind turbines across the globe. In mid-December 2025, Vestas reached 200 GW of installed wind turbines globally with the installation of a V172-7.2 MW turbine in Germany.
On June 1, 2026, the company announced that it had received an order to deliver 50 MW of wind turbines to Germany and 45 MW of wind turbines to the United Kingdom. These orders are indicative of the strong demand that VWDRY’s wind turbines enjoy worldwide.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for this Zacks Rank #2 stock’s 2026 sales implies year-over-year growth of 16.4%. The stock boasts a long-term (three-to-five years) earnings growth rate of 14.90%.
As a diversified energy provider serving North America through a wide range of electric and natural gas businesses, Duke Energy has accelerated the expansion of its renewable energy portfolio in recent years. The company currently has more than 11,900 MW of renewable generation capacity in operation.
DUK aims to bring 4,000 MW of new solar and 5,600 MW of battery storage in service by 2034. As part of its clean energy portfolio expansion strategy, the company also targets to bring 1,200 MW of onshore wind in service by 2033, as well as 800-1,100 MW of offshore wind by 2034 and 2,200-2,400 MW by 2035.
On May 20, 2026, Duke Energy announced the completion of the Jumper Creek Solar Complex in Sumter County, which is part of the company’s plan to build 900 megawatts (MWs) of solar power in Florida by the end of 2028.
These initiatives reflect this Zacks Rank #2 stock's long-term strategy of delivering safe, reliable, affordable, clean and equitable energy to its customers. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DUK’s 2026 sales implies year-over-year growth of 4.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the stock’s 2026 earnings suggests a year-over-year improvement of 6.3%.
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Duke Energy Corporation (DUK): Free Stock Analysis Report
Plug Power, Inc. (PLUG): Free Stock Analysis Report
Vestas Wind Systems AS (VWDRY): Free Stock Analysis Report
Bloom Energy Corporation (BE): Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).