Corporate Energy Deals Spark a New Solar-and-Storage Era

Major corporate buyers are driving a surge in solar-plus-storage deals, blending clean power goals with grid reliability as US electricity demand climbs

10 Feb 2026

A growing number of US companies are reshaping the clean energy market by demanding not just renewable electricity, but power that is available when it is needed and can support grid stability.

That shift is illustrated by a new agreement between NextEra Energy Resources and Meta Platforms covering about 2.5 gigawatts of clean energy projects across several US regions. The projects combine large-scale solar generation with battery storage, marking a move away from standalone renewables towards more flexible supply.

Rather than selling power only when the sun shines, the projects will store excess electricity during the day and release it later, when demand rises and solar output falls. Developers and buyers say this structure better reflects how electricity is consumed in practice.

Meta said the projects would support both its clean energy targets and the reliability of the grids serving its data centres. The company has been expanding its data centre footprint, increasing its need for steady, round-the-clock power. Solar generation covers daytime demand, while batteries supply electricity after sunset.

For NextEra, the deal provides long-term demand that supports new investment, particularly in fast-growing markets such as Texas and parts of the Midwest. These regions are seeing rising electricity use alongside rapid additions of renewable capacity. Storage helps reduce swings in supply and eases pressure on grid infrastructure.

Analysts say the agreement reflects a broader trend, especially among large technology groups. Corporate energy buyers are moving beyond emissions accounting towards projects that offer operational reliability and measurable benefits for local grids. Extreme weather, rising power demand and the limits of solar and wind on their own have accelerated that shift.

Challenges remain. Grid connection queues are long, permitting can be slow, and batteries still add significant cost. But falling storage prices and strong corporate demand are changing project economics.

As a result, solar paired with batteries is increasingly becoming the default option for large corporate power deals, signalling a quiet but significant change in how renewable energy is built and used in the US.