Meta has dropped out of RE100, the global corporate clean energy initiative, after committing to build 10 new gas-fired power plants in Louisiana totaling roughly 7.5 GW. The company says gas is necessary because utilities cannot meet AI data center power demands with renewables alone. Meta still claims to match 100% of its annual electricity use with clean energy via RECs and PPAs, but critics note that its data centers will run on fossil power around the clock. The move puts Meta behind Google, Apple, and Microsoft, which remain in RE100. The story highlights a growing tension: Big Tech wants to scale AI infrastructure fast, but the grid in many regions cannot supply that load with carbon-free power. Meta is also funding up to 2.5 GW of renewables in Louisiana, but the net effect is a major expansion of gas generation with decades of emissions locked in.
