As U.S. energy demand rises, corporate buyers are seeking new “clean firm generation” resources to provide reliable, carbon emissions-free electricity to power their growing operations.

“Clean firm energy” refers to electricity sources such as nuclear (i.e., restarts of conventional nuclear and new advanced nuclear), geothermal, fusion, hydropower, long-duration energy storage, and thermal generation with carbon capture and storage (CCS) that can provide consistent, low-carbon or carbon emissions-free power on demand. “Traditional clean energy,” on the other hand, refers to solar, wind, and battery.

The Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA) recently announced over six gigawatts (GW) of corporate commitments to new clean firm energy projects across ten states, with the first public announcement occurring in 2021. Over half of the new clean firm capacity committed by corporates was announced in 2025. (CEBA’s current analysis focuses on new nuclear, fusion, geothermal, and hydropower announcements from 2021 through Q3 2025.).

According to CEBA, timelines for corporations to meet goals are dependent on projects coming online in a timely fashion, which could be enhanced by transmission and permitting reforms.

What Does the Data Show?

“Corporate buyers are committing to clean firm technologies, with 2025 accounting for over half of the total announced to date,” said CEBA. “In total, corporate buyers announced 20.4 GW of new capacity, including all clean resources, in the first three quarters of 2025.” Almost 17 percent (3.4 GW) of this capacity included new nuclear, fusion, geothermal, or hydro projects. This is a significant increase from last year, when projects involving these technologies comprised only eight percent (1.9 GW) of the total. “Notably, these totals include named projects and exclude broader collaborations announced,” said CEBA. “Therefore, this represents just a portion of the investment corporate buyers are making to scale new clean energy technologies. Buyers are also leading the way to reduce costs and show proof of concept of new technologies, sometimes first of a kind. These early buyer interventions have the power to reduce the longer-term costs and future project investments.”

Why Does This Matter?

The types of contracts vary across these announcements, but most are multi-year, sometimes even decades-long, deals. “By committing to long-term clean energy purchases, corporate buyers are helping accelerate the commercialization of emerging technologies and ensuring reliable access to power for the U.S. market well into the future,” said CEBA.

And, according to CEBA, private sector investments are delivering innovative, reliable energy solutions, and corporate commitments are critical to meeting growing energy demands.

Buyers are seeking to use all resources, including clean firm technologies, to strengthen the reliability of the grid in the face of significant electricity demand growth. In the first three quarters of 2025, almost 17 percent of the announced capacity was for clean firm projects compared to around 83 percent for “traditional” clean projects – solar, wind, and battery storage.

“Corporate buyers have played an instrumental role in spurring clean energy growth across the U.S.,” said CEBA. “Buyers are now demanding that policymakers address the regulatory hurdles hindering the buildout of clean firm energy resources and supporting infrastructure to meet unprecedented electricity growth in America.”

CEBA and its members are working with policymakers on these potential reforms, ensuring the clean firm technologies corporate buyers support come online to provide reliable, low-cost, carbon emissions-free energy needed to sustain a growing U.S. economy.