July 6, 2026 — A new report on the energy investment landscape shows the clean energy market surged in 2025, and investment in clean energy projects is likely to reach a record high in 2026. Continued policy uncertainty and other factors could diminish investor interest in clean energy projects after this year.
The report, Clean Energy Investment Trends, was prepared for ACORE by S&P Global Energy’s consulting arm CERA Consulting. ACORE is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that operates at the intersection of affordability, reliability and clean energy deployment.
Other key takeaways from the report include:
- Investment in renewable projects in 2026 could surpass 2025 investment as developers race to meet demand growth and claim expiring wind and solar tax credits.
- Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) surged in 2025 — especially in natural gas-fired generation — as AI raced to secure power sources. First quarter (Q1) 2025 M&A exceeded total M&A activity in 2024.
- Canadian and European firms drove investment in and acquisitions of U.S. renewable capacity.
- Emissions-free power featured in many large transactions in 2025, and private equity has been actively acquiring clean power sources, including nuclear.
ACORE President and CEO Ray Long stated:
The clean energy market is primed to deliver the energy security, affordability and reliability that American energy consumers expect and deserve. Developers are building projects and financial firms are investing despite current policy uncertainty, but if we don’t deliver stable tax, trade, and permitting policy, it could chill investor interest, jeopardize domestic industry growth, and threaten our energy independence.
Hill Vaden, Executive Director at S&P Global Energy, pointed out:
Investments in U.S. renewable electricity projects continued to increase in 2025 as power-demand expectations accelerate. Capital markets remain broadly supportive of clean energy projects in 2026 as developers rush to beat start-of-work deadlines; existing platforms embrace consolidation opportunities; and clean-firm innovators seek public market listings.
ACORE is sharing the full report with its members. The report’s executive summary of the Clean Energy Investment Trends report is available to the public on the ACORE website. ACORE focuses on stabilizing energy prices, strengthening the electric grid, and driving investment in cost-effective technologies to ensure that clean energy delivers for people, businesses and the U.S. economy.
At its annual Finance Forum in May, ACORE published the follow-up investor survey report, Navigating Uncertainty: Clean Energy Investment Trends (2026-2029). It details market sentiment from 36 multinational clean energy leaders regarding the U.S. renewable sector in the near and mid-term.
Learn more about becoming an ACORE member here. ACORE’s membership includes clean energy investors, developers, energy buyers, power generators, manufacturers and energy providers. In 2024, nearly 80% of the booming utility-scale domestic clean energy growth was financed, developed, owned, equipped or contracted by ACORE members.
