In Mergermarket’s article “Data Centers’ Thirst for Power Will Drive M&A in US Renewables Despite White House Pushback,” Akerman Corporate Partner Chris Zentz discussed how surging energy demand from AI and data center development is creating new momentum for renewable energy transactions. Chris noted that “smart money” investors continue to find strong opportunities in renewables despite policy headwinds, emphasizing that creative, well-informed investors see the sector as resilient and evolving. He also highlighted a growing trend of non-traditional buyers — including major technology and data center companies — pursuing direct acquisitions of energy assets to gain greater control over their power supply, effectively reshaping traditional utility and infrastructure models.

Chris was quoted, "Investing in renewable energy in 2026 requires a deep understanding of the dynamics at play and a willingness to be creative and take risks when the opportunities arise. Even with some of the added difficulties the industry is currently experiencing, the 'smart money' has shown that excellent opportunities still exist and that the renewable industry is not going away."