An updated edition of the June 4, 2026, article.
Global investment in clean energy is expanding at an unprecedented scale. Driven by a combination of rapid technological advances, massive power demand, and heightened geopolitical concerns, capital flows into the sector are set to reach a milestone $2.2 trillion this year, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Investment 2026 report. This is nearly double the $1.2 trillion allocated to fossil fuels this year, with spending on clean energy — including renewables, battery storage, grids, nuclear, and electrification — expected to account for almost 65% of global energy investment.
This massive deployment of capital is propelled by three powerful, real-time demand drivers beyond long-term climate targets, which include the accelerating age of electricity, rapid buildout of AI infrastructure, and global geopolitical instability.
Electricity-related spending now represents nearly 60% of all global energy investment. Total investment in power supply and grid infrastructure is set to hit $1.6 trillion this year — climbing to $2 trillion when including end-use electrification like electric vehicles and heat pumps. Traditional growth drivers, including low levelized costs of energy (LCOE) for solar and wind, provide a strong, cost-effective base for this expansion.
Meanwhile, the rapid buildout of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure has introduced a powerful new source of power demand lately. Data centers running complex, large language models require vast amounts of continuous electricity. Tech giants have emerged as the single largest group of corporate clean energy buyers, securing roughly 40% of all global corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) signed last year. With data center power consumption projected to nearly double by 2030, renewables remain the primary solution for meeting this fast-growing load.
On the other hand, recent geopolitical instability in the Middle East has exposed the vulnerabilities of long-distance fossil fuel supply chains, elevating energy security to a top national policy priority. As a result, net energy importers are increasingly turning to domestic, widely distributed clean energy assets, such as solar, wind, nuclear, and localized storage, to insulate their economies from external supply shocks and price volatility.
Consequently, renewables are on track to officially become the world’s largest source of electricity generation in 2026, overtaking coal after reaching near parity in 2025 (as predicted by IEA), with renewable generation poised to expand its share of total global electricity generation from 33% in 2025 to 37% by 2027.
At this critical juncture, one must be mindful that this target of renewable generation will be achieved only in conjunction with equivalent, if not more, energy storage capacity. As solar and wind power generation depends on weather conditions, battery energy storage systems (BESS) have emerged as a critical enabler of grid reliability. By capturing excess generation and dispatching power during peak hours, storage turns variable power into a steady, 24/7 energy supply while preventing grid overloads and blackouts.
With rapidly falling battery costs making renewable-plus-storage setups economically superior to traditional fossil fuel peaker plants, the IEA estimates global investment in battery storage to surpass $100 billion this year alone — solidifying energy storage as the central engine supporting the global clean energy rollout.
You may consider adding core clean energy stocks like Bloom Energy BE, GE Vernova GEV 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 Ameren AEE 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. The company has deployed more than 1.5 gigawatt (GW) of low-carbon power across more than 1,200 installations globally.
On June 30, 2026, BE announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with Brookfield to finance power projects for AI infrastructure – from previously announced $5 billion to $25 billion – a fivefold expansion since October 2025. This reflects the solid foothold that Bloom Energy enjoys in delivering clean, reliable power to large AI projects.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company’s 2026 sales implies year-over-year growth of 83.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BE’s 2026 earnings suggests a year-over-year improvement of 176.3%.
GE Vernova stands out as a global energy leader, offering a broad portfolio that spans onshore and offshore wind, grid and storage solutions, as well as next-generation power technology (ranging from hydro to nuclear).
With approximately 59,000 wind turbines and 7,000 gas turbines, GEV’s technology base helps generate approximately 25% of the world's electricity. During the second quarter of 2026, SunZia, the largest renewable energy infrastructure project in U.S. history, became operational, powered by GE Vernova's 3.8 MW-154m wind turbines at its onshore wind farm in New Mexico.
On June 30, 2026, GE Vernova announced the completion of the modernization of its high-voltage research and development (R&D) laboratory at its Noventa di Piave site, near Venice, Italy. This project is part of a broader four-year investment of approximately $7.2 million to strengthen the site’s role in developing technologies for more reliable, flexible and resilient power grids. The investment builds on GE Vernova’s continued investment across its Italian electrification footprint, including the expansion of its manufacturing capacity in Sesto San Giovanni, valued at more than $30 million.
These investments highlight GE Vernova’s active role in strengthening power grids — the essential backbone required to smoothly transmit clean energy.
The stock boasts a long-term (three-to-five years) earnings growth rate of 18%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company’s 2026 sales implies year-over-year growth of 18.8%. 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 became the first company to reach 200 GW of installed wind turbines globally with the installation of a V172-7.2 MW turbine in Germany.
On July 22, 2026, the company announced that it received an order to deliver 43 MW of wind turbines to Germany, while at the end of June, it received five new orders totaling 309 MW from customers across nations like Poland and Japan. 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 14.2%. The stock boasts a long-term earnings growth rate of 19.90%.
As a utility company that generates and distributes electricity and natural gas in Missouri and Illinois, Ameren has been rapidly accelerating the expansion of its renewable energy portfolio in recent years.
Its subsidiary, Ameren Missouri, aims to add 3,200 megawatts (MWs) of renewable generation by 2030 and an additional 1,500 MWs by 2035. It also plans on adding 1,000 MWs of battery storage by 2030 and an additional 800 MWs by 2042.
To further promote clean energy, AEE aims to add 1,500 MWs of nuclear generation by 2040 and retire all of Ameren Missouri’s coal-fired energy centers by 2042.
On June 26, 2026, Ameren Missouri filed a request with the Missouri Public Service Commission to recover the costs of electric system upgrades and construction of new power generation assets. This filing includes strengthening the grid and investing in smart technology through Ameren Missouri's Smart Energy Plan, a multi-year grid modernization framework specifically designed to accommodate and expand renewable energy sources.
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 AEE’s 2026 sales implies year-over-year growth of 6.7%. The stock boasts a long-term earnings growth rate of 7.70%.
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Ameren Corporation (AEE): Free Stock Analysis Report
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).