Clarity AI Maps the Global Gaps in Corporate Renewable Energy Use Across Countries and Sectors

Global corporate adoption of renewable energy is accelerating, but the pace varies wildly by country and sector. A new Clarity AI analysis, drawing on data from 2020 through 2025 and focusing on MSCI ACWI-listed firms in the world’s ten biggest renewable-generation economies, reveals a nuanced landscape. The findings show rapid gains in some regions and industries, alongside persistent inertia in others, underscoring the complex dynamics of decarbonizing corporate energy use. The study highlights how AI-driven insights are helping companies, regulators, and investors understand where to focus effort and investment. Yet it also emphasizes that technology alone cannot overcome the fundamental barriers that remain in infrastructure, policy alignment, and systemic electrification.

Global Trends in Corporate Renewable Energy Adoption

The Clarity AI report identifies a global pattern of uneven progress toward corporate renewable energy adoption. Across the analysed markets, there is clear evidence of accelerated investment and uptake in renewable energy within corporate portfolios, yet the consistency of that progress varies by country, sector, and the structural characteristics of the energy system in each economy. In several economies, corporate demand for renewable electricity has surged as firms pursue decarbonization commitments, supplier diversification, and greater energy predictability for operations. In others, progress has been more restrained, constrained by grid limitations, regulatory hurdles, or the reliance on mature fossil-based energy systems that resist rapid electrification.

The data show notable growth trajectories in specific countries, with Brazil, Spain, and the United States standing out as examples of meaningful shifts toward renewables in corporate energy consumption. Brazil illustrates a dramatic deepening of clean energy use within the corporate sector, rising from 19% in 2020 to 51% by 2024, a substantial 32 percentage point jump that underscores how policy design, resource availability, and corporate strategy can combine to drive rapid decarbonization. Spain, by contrast, has moved into a leading position in absolute terms, with nearly 60% of corporate energy consumption sourced from renewables, signaling a large-scale alignment of corporate demand with clean power in a mature, high-penetration energy market. The United States has also registered progress, albeit on a different trajectory, with firms increasing clean energy sourcing to about 29% of total energy use.

In contrast to these progress stories, other major economies present a more challenging outlook. China, despite its global leadership in renewable energy investment and capacity expansion, has shown relatively modest increases in its corporate renewable energy share, rising by only about 7% in the examined period. The divergence between China’s massive public investment in renewables and the comparatively slower rate of corporate uptake raises critical questions about how industrial structure, ownership models, energy pricing, and corporate procurement practices influence the pace of electrification within large multinationals and domestic firms alike. As China’s 2010s to 2020s acceleration in renewable generation becomes a backdrop, the corporate adoption curve indicates that industrial users may be slower to internalize or monetize the benefits of renewables at scale, even when clean electricity is readily available at the national level.

The shifts observed across regions are not purely geographic; they reflect sectoral dynamics as well. The Clarity AI analysis highlights that broader economic and industrial patterns drive adoption in different ways. Some economies benefit from a favorable mix of renewables in the national energy supply, which makes corporate procurement easier and more cost-effective, while others contend with intermittency, transmission constraints, or a lack of aligned incentives for large energy consumers to engage directly with power markets. Ultimately, the report portrays a world where corporate decarbonization is both possible and increasingly pursued, but where the structure of the energy system and the policy environment determine the speed and scope of progress.

The analysis rests on a robust methodology that leverages real-time data from a wide range of corporate energy users, using the dataset of MSCI ACWI-listed firms within the top ten countries by renewable generation. This approach enables a granular view of how different economies and sectors are performing, capturing both the aggregate shifts in energy sourcing and the specific changes within individual markets and industries. The result is a comprehensive portrait of where corporate energy strategies are succeeding, where they are encountering friction, and where policy and infrastructure upgrades could unlock faster decarbonization. By mapping these trends over a multi-year horizon, Clarity AI provides a crucial evidence base for decision-makers aiming to align corporate strategy with global climate targets and national energy plans.

Country-by-Country Deep Dive

The country-by-country view reveals divergent trajectories, with some nations harnessing advantages in policy frameworks, resource endowments, and market mechanisms that support rapid corporate electrification, while others are impeded by structural challenges that slow momentum.

Brazil: Rapid Acceleration in Corporate Clean Energy

Brazil’s corporate energy transition has witnessed a pronounced and sustained acceleration. Moving from 19% clean energy use in 2020 to 51% in 2024, the country registers a 32 percentage point leap that places it among the leading examples of accelerated decarbonization within the corporate sector. This dramatic shift likely reflects a combination of abundant renewable resources, a favorable regulatory environment for clean energy procurement, and corporate strategies that prioritize sustainability as a core business advantage.

The Brazilian case underscores how a country with strong renewable resource availability can translate natural advantages into tangible corporate outcomes when aligned with market-friendly policies and corporate leadership. The implication for other nations is that, when governance structures enable predictable procurement of renewables and when firms adopt clear decarbonization roadmaps, the corporate sector can achieve meaningful gains in a relatively short period. For Brazil, the 2020–2024 window demonstrates that rapid, sizable improvements are feasible when the right structural conditions exist and when corporations actively pursue decarbonization as a strategic objective.

Spain: Leading in Absolute Corporate Renewable Penetration

Spain has emerged as a leading market in absolute terms for corporate renewable energy consumption, with the share of renewables in corporate energy use approaching the 60% mark. This leadership position reflects the maturity of Spain’s energy market, its grid integration capabilities, and the alignment of corporate procurement strategies with national and regional decarbonization goals. The Spanish experience illustrates how a combination of high renewable penetration, competitive power markets, and corporate appetite for sustainability can yield sustained progress in corporate energy sourcing.

For multinational and domestic firms alike, Spain presents a model of how corporate demand can harmonize with the broader energy transition. The high share of renewables in corporate consumption also signals a favorable business environment for renewable electricity pricing, long-term power purchase agreements, and the development of renewable portfolios that contribute to both company-level decarbonization targets and national climate commitments. Spain’s trajectory suggests that sustained progress requires not only renewable generation capacity but also intelligent market design that makes renewables accessible and financially attractive to large energy users.

United States: Steady Gains in Corporate Clean Energy

The United States has demonstrated meaningful gains in corporate clean energy usage, with renewables accounting for about 29% of corporate energy consumption by the mid-2020s. This progress reflects a combination of corporate leadership in sustainability, active participation in regional and national green power markets, and a policy ecosystem that, while complex, provides options for large energy users to procure renewable electricity through power purchase agreements and other mechanisms.

The U.S. pattern indicates that even in a large, diverse economy with a complex regulatory landscape, corporate demand for clean energy can expand significantly when companies pursue decarbonization as a strategic priority. The growth in corporate renewables in the U.S. aligns with broader trends toward corporate sustainability reporting, investor expectations, and the visibility of supply chain decarbonization as a competitive differentiator. For policymakers and grid operators, the American experience emphasizes the importance of reliable, scalable transmission and market constructs that allow large energy consumers to access renewable resources efficiently and at predictable prices.

China: Slower Uptake Amidst Strong Investment

In contrast to its leadership in renewable generation capacity, China’s corporate uptake of renewable energy has progressed more slowly, with the share rising by approximately 7% over the same period. This slower consolidation within the corporate sector emerges despite the country’s overwhelming role in renewable energy investment and development, and it raises important questions about the drivers of corporate procurement behavior, industrial structure, and the alignment of corporate energy strategies with national decarbonization goals.

The discrepancy between China’s aggressive deployment of renewable generation and its comparatively modest corporate adoption suggests that industrial and corporate procurement ecosystems may require more time or targeted policy incentives to translate generation capacity into direct corporate consumption of renewables. It also points to the significant influence of ownership models, grid access, and market design on how readily large firms can procure and utilize renewable electricity, even when the national energy mix is increasingly renewable-rich. As Chinese industries continue to expand their global footprint, the pace at which corporate energy strategies converge with national decarbonization targets will remain a focal point for cross-border energy policy discussions and multinationals’ regional supply chain planning.

The country-level narrative demonstrates that while national renewable capacity and investments are critical, the degree to which corporate energy strategies accelerate depends on how easily large consumers can secure and utilize clean power within the grid, how attractive long-term procurement options are, and how policy frameworks incentivize corporate decarbonization aligned with broader climate objectives.

Sectoral Dynamics: Who Is Moving Fast and Who Is Left Behind

Across sectors, the rate of decarbonization is not uniform. Some parts of the economy—particularly those with easier electrification potential and direct grid access—are moving quickly, while others face structural, technological, or cost-related barriers that slow progress.

Sectors most closely tied to the electricity grid—namely information technology, communications, and financial services—are leading the race to renewables. These sectors not only electrify more readily but also benefit from robust digital infrastructure and strong grid-connectivity, which simplify integration with clean power systems. In financial services, renewables usage rose from 32% in 2020 to 53% by the mid-2020s, reflecting a mature market for sustainable procurement and a long history of corporate responsibility in investment decisions. The IT and communications sectors have followed suit, with renewables rising from 23% to 45% over the same period. These surges highlight how the combination of digital readiness and grid access can accelerate the transition toward low-carbon energy, enabling faster electrification and more reliable integration of renewable electricity into corporate operations.

The ability to quantify and analyze emissions at a granular level is a key advantage of AI-enabled data platforms. By processing vast datasets in real time, Clarity AI can identify sectoral patterns, assess the depth of decarbonization within different industries, and indicate where sustainability strategies are bearing fruit versus where they are lagging. This granular insight helps organizations allocate resources efficiently, optimize procurement strategies, and align decarbonization efforts with financial and operational objectives.

But not all sectors can pivot with the same ease. The so-called “hard-to-abate” sectors—fossil fuel production, heavy industry, aviation, and real estate—show only modest improvements in their use of renewable energy. Real estate, for example, increased its renewable energy use from 13% to 20%, a 7 percentage point rise that, while meaningful, remains modest in the context of broader decarbonization ambitions. These sectors face deeper structural and operational challenges that complicate electrification and renewable integration. The fossil fuels and materials sectors, in particular, sit at the lower end of the spectrum, moving from 12% to 18% as they confront fundamental barriers to decarbonization, including high energy intensity, specialized process heat requirements, and the limitations of current electrification technologies.

The sectoral narrative underscores a fundamental truth: electrifying energy demand is not a single-switch exercise. It requires targeted technology solutions, such as clean or low-carbon process heat, scalable energy storage, and the development of electrification pathways that can meet industry-specific requirements. AI’s role is to illuminate where to focus these efforts, track progress over time, and flag bottlenecks that impede rapid decarbonization. The ability to measure, in real time, how different sectors respond to policy incentives, price signals, and technology breakthroughs makes it possible to tailor strategies to the unique needs of each industry, which in turn accelerates the overall energy transition.

Infrastructure, Policy, and the Role of AI in Decarbonization

A central theme across the findings is that infrastructure is the missing link in the global decarbonization puzzle. While renewables generation continues to grow and corporate demand for clean power rises, the physical systems that move electricity from generation sites to end users are still facing constraints that limit the speed and scale of the transition. Andrés Olivares, Senior Manager of Product Research and Innovation at Clarity AI, emphasizes that while many industries are structurally more challenging to decarbonize, their decarbonization remains essential for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, given their large share of global emissions. He notes that the problem is not simply about producing clean energy but about delivering it where it is needed, reliably and cost-effectively.

Without substantial investment in infrastructure and electrification technologies, the global ambition of a net-zero economy will remain out of reach. AI tools can illuminate emissions trends, forecast outcomes, and identify where investment and policy support will have the greatest impact. Still, AI cannot replace the physical systems required to transport and deliver renewable power to factories, offices, data centers, and homes. This distinction underscores the need for a holistic approach that pairs data-driven decision-making with large-scale investments in transmission, distribution networks, and grid modernization.

The European Union’s Grids Plan, as proposed, represents a policy pathway intended to support widespread corporate decarbonization. It illustrates how policy design and regulatory alignment can catalyze grid expansion, interconnection, and grid reliability—key prerequisites for broader corporate adoption of renewables. Yet the report also stresses that electricity accounts for only a portion of industrial energy consumption: about one-third in Europe and roughly 20% in the United States. This reality highlights the magnitude of the transition still required and the importance of complementary strategies, including energy efficiency, process optimization, and alternative decarbonization routes for sectors where electrification remains challenging.

AI’s integration into sustainability strategies offers a powerful lever for progress. It makes previously invisible data visible, turning raw energy and emissions information into actionable intelligence. This enables evidence-based decision-making, enables more precise progress tracking, and supports investment decisions that align with climate targets. However, Olivares cautions that AI is not a panacea. The journey toward net-zero requires a concerted effort to expand and modernize energy infrastructure, align market incentives, and invest in technologies that enable electrification and energy efficiency at scale. He emphasizes that “Powering the Earth differently is not enough. We must also build it to run differently.” This sentiment captures the dual mandate: innovate with digital tools while delivering the hard infrastructure that makes clean energy practical and reliable for the world’s most energy-intensive industries.

The AI Advantage: Measuring, Modeling, and Guiding Corporate Decarbonization

AI technologies, as deployed by Clarity AI and similar platforms, play a pivotal role in accelerating corporate decarbonization by providing real-time visibility into emissions, energy sourcing, and efficiency opportunities. The ability to process enormous data streams from numerous corporate electricity customers—across geographies, sectors, and regulatory regimes—allows for highly granular insights. These insights enable companies to benchmark performance, identify where decarbonization strategies are succeeding, and pinpoint areas that require additional attention or investment.

AI-driven analysis also supports policy and market design by revealing how different regions and sectors respond to incentives, price signals, and regulatory changes. This information can guide public-private partnerships, grid modernization programs, and investment strategies that align economic and environmental objectives. The Clarity AI framework demonstrates how big-data analytics can bring clarity to complex sustainability challenges by transforming disparate datasets into coherent narratives about where progress is being made and where bottlenecks persist.

Nevertheless, the report reinforces a critical caveat: while AI is a powerful tool for insight and prediction, it does not replace the underlying physical and regulatory systems that govern energy supply and demand. The path to a net-zero energy economy requires a dual approach—leveraging AI to optimize, plan, and monitor decarbonization efforts, while also committing to the investments in infrastructure, transmission, storage, and electrification technologies that make clean energy reliable and scalable for all sectors.

Implications for Businesses and Policymakers

For corporations, the findings present a clear set of implications and opportunities. The strongest signals point to the importance of investing in electrification, expanding access to clean energy procurement, and integrating AI-driven analytics into procurement, operations, and strategy. Companies that can align their business models with clean power supply, while also investing in energy efficiency and demand-side management, are likely to gain competitive advantages in cost, resilience, and reputational value. The sectoral disparities also suggest a need for tailored strategies: IT, communications, and financial services can capitalize on their natural grid connectivity and digital infrastructure, while heavy industry, aviation, fossil fuels, and real estate will require targeted investments in electrification technologies, process innovations, and supportive policy frameworks.

For policymakers, the report underscores the critical role of infrastructure investment and coherent market design. The Grids Plan exemplifies a forward-looking approach to expanding transmission capacity, improving interconnections, and enabling cross-border energy trade that supports corporate decarbonization. The insight that electricity accounts for a relatively small share of industrial energy use—about one-third in Europe and one-fifth in the United States—highlights the scale of the additional decarbonization work required beyond simply increasing renewable generation. This reality calls for comprehensive strategies that pair grid expansion with energy efficiency, sector-specific electrification roadmaps, and incentives for innovations in storage, industrial electrification, and low-emission fuels.

AI-enabled tools can guide both corporate and policy decisions by identifying high-leverage opportunities, predicting the impact of various interventions, and monitoring progress toward milestones. As the report notes, the data show that progress is uneven and that structural bottlenecks—such as infrastructure gaps and transitional barriers in hard-to-abate sectors—require sustained, coordinated action. AI helps maintain momentum by providing continuous visibility into performance, enabling rapid course corrections, and informing investment decisions that deliver the greatest decarbonization impact.

Regional Perspectives and Policy Initiatives

Regional dynamics matter for corporate decarbonization, driven by differences in energy mix, grid quality, and regulatory environments. In Europe, the ongoing focus on modernizing grids and expanding cross-border transmission aligns closely with the EU’s broader climate and energy objectives. The Grids Plan embodies a strategic attempt to align infrastructure investment with decarbonization goals at scale. The data emphasize that while Europe has made substantial progress in deploying renewables, a sizable portion of industrial energy use remains fossil-based or non-electrified, underscoring the need for continued investment in infrastructure and electrification-enabled technologies.

The United States presents a contrasting but equally critical regional context, where electricity accounts for about 20% of industrial energy consumption. The path to deeper corporate decarbonization in the U.S. depends on a combination of grid reliability improvements, enhanced access to renewable energy procurement, and policy mechanisms that support long-term contracts and price stability for corporate buyers. In both regions, the role of AI in optimizing energy use, forecasting emissions trajectories, and guiding investment decisions will be essential to achieving more ambitious decarbonization outcomes.

In China, the disconnect between large-scale renewable generation and corporate uptake invites policymakers and industry players to explore new models for engaging large energy consumers. Bridging this gap may require targeted incentives, procurement frameworks, and partnerships that translate national renewable capacity into tangible reductions in corporate emissions. The broader takeaway across regions is that while renewables deployment is a global priority, turning that capacity into broad-based corporate decarbonization requires region-specific strategies that address the unique mix of policy, market design, and infrastructure constraints.

Conclusion

The Clarity AI analysis provides a detailed, data-driven snapshot of how corporate renewable energy use is evolving across countries and sectors. The findings demonstrate clear progress in several economies, with notable gains in Brazil and Spain as exemplars of rapid and large-scale corporate uptake, while the United States shows meaningful but more measured improvements. China’s relatively modest rise in corporate renewables, despite substantial national investment in generation capacity, points to structural and market factors that shape corporate procurement behavior, illustrating that generation capacity alone does not automatically translate into higher corporate consumption of clean power.

Sectoral dynamics reveal a clear divide: IT, communications, and financial services are leading the charge toward renewables, leveraging grid connectivity and digital infrastructure to accelerate electrification. In contrast, hard-to-abate sectors—fossil fuel production, heavy industry, aviation, and real estate—face more stubborn barriers that require a combination of technological breakthroughs, process innovations, and large-scale infrastructure upgrades to unlock meaningful decarbonization. This differentiation underscores the critical insight that the energy transition is not a single transition but a suite of coordinated shifts that must occur across multiple sectors and regions.

Infrastructure remains the linchpin of the decarbonization effort. As Andrés Olivares of Clarity AI notes, while decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries is essential for meeting global climate targets, it is equally crucial to invest in enabling infrastructure and electrification technologies that allow clean energy to reach the places it is needed most. The EU’s Grids Plan illustrates how policy design can catalyze such investments, yet the reality remains that electricity represents only a fraction of industrial energy use in key markets. The report calls for a holistic approach that combines AI-enabled data insights with substantial physical infrastructure upgrades, robust policy support, and sustained corporate commitment to drive deep decarbonization.

Ultimately, AI tools offer a powerful, evidence-based edge in the race toward net-zero. They illuminate where progress is happening and where it is lagging, guiding investment, policy, and corporate strategy toward higher-impact actions. But AI alone cannot decarbonize the world. The journey requires a concerted effort to build and upgrade the systems that deliver clean energy where it is needed, to electrify industrial processes wherever feasible, and to align incentives so that both policy and market signals reward rapid, sustainable transitions. As the data show, progress is real, but we are only halfway there—and the path forward hinges on turning insights into action at scale, across sectors, and around the globe.