Meta has walked away from a corporate renewable energy initiative it joined a decade ago, adding fresh scrutiny to the power demands behind its AI data center expansion.
The Facebook and Instagram parent had been part of RE100, a Climate Group-backed initiative for companies committing to renewable electricity. The group has more than 400 members, including Microsoft, Google and Apple.
Meta joined in 2016 with a target of meeting its goal by 2020. Its exit comes as the company puts more money into gas-powered electricity projects to support the computing load behind artificial intelligence products and services.
Climate Group said Meta “is no longer able to meet the technical criteria due to investments made in new gas power.” Meta told TechCrunch it was still committed to “100% clean and renewable energy” and described the departure as a “mutual” decision.
The split shows how Big Tech’s AI race is colliding with older climate pledges. Data centers need vast amounts of reliable electricity, and companies are turning to a mix of renewables, gas plants and energy certificates to keep services running while maintaining climate claims.
Meta said earlier this year that it would fund seven new natural gas plants for data center power. The company has now committed to 10 such projects since last year.
Companies can still use energy attribute certificates to offset fossil-fuel consumption. But analysts say the more direct investment Meta makes in gas generation, the harder those renewable claims become to defend.
