Republican attorneys general are calling out several of America’s big tech firms for making dangerous renewable energy goals, which greenwash the companies’ reputations at increased blackout risk. A new letter led by Montana attorney general Austin Knudsen and joined by 15 other AGs presses Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta on how they square their labels with the fact that they still draw from a U.S. grid that is mostly fossil-fueled, and often rely on unbundled renewable energy certificates (RECs) to make the math work. As the Daily Caller reports:
Knudsen argues in the letter that not only are these claims misleading but also signal that intermittent sources like wind and solar are sufficient to power America’s grid, despite warnings from energy experts, grid operators and watchdogs, including the Department of Energy (DOE), that phasing out reliable energy sources could exponentially increase blackout risks.
“As a result of big tech’s misleading energy use claims, coal and natural gas plants are being shut down, putting communities across the country at an increased risk of blackouts over the next few years. In Montana, reliable energy – like fossil fuels – are a vital part of our economy and keep us warm during harsh winters,” Knudsen told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Not only is our electric grid being threatened, but the companies could be in violation of Montana law. As attorney general, I am committed to getting answers.”
After years of stagnation, energy demand is rising in the U.S. along with costs as the anticipation of power-hungry data centers looms large. Aging energy infrastructure and aggressive green energy mandates set by former President Joe Biden and several Democrats at the state level have tightened the supply of reliable, baseload power sources like coal.
Biden sought to phase out coal across America and signed off on stringent emissions goals that were set to severely strain the power grid, according to energy sector experts. In contrast, the Trump administration has moved to bolster reliable energy sources like coal and nuclear.
One July DOE report warns that America’s risk for blackouts will increase 100-fold by 2030 if the U.S. continues to shutter reliable power plants without adequate replacements. Knudsen argues in the letter that tech companies touting a 100% renewable label risk adding to blackout concerns, since it signals that the growing demand from data centers can be met solely by intermittent sources like wind and solar.
National Legal and Policy Center has filed a shareholder proposal with Apple, to be voted on at the company’s 2026 annual meeting, addressing similar concerns. This letter from Republican AGs signifies that hollow green energy pledges are an industry wide phenomenon. NLPC encourages big tech companies to embrace the reality that the US energy grid will continue to rely on hydrocarbon energy well into the future. They should drop their hollow green energy promises rather than let ideological goals drive blackouts.
