In this piece, we discuss the 10 Best AI Energy Stocks to Buy Now.
As the artificial intelligence (AI) spending narrative evolves in 2026, investors are shifting their focus to the energy backbone supporting the AI economy. According to a January 13, 2026, Reuters report, BlackRock stated that investors favoring AI momentum in 2026 remain more bullish on energy and infrastructure providers than U.S. megacap technology stocks.
With AI and big tech dominating equity returns in 2025, BlackRock’s Investment Directions report cited rising concern over volatile returns on capital and higher borrowing costs associated with the Magnificent 7’s aggressive data center expansion. In a survey conducted with 732 EMEA-based clients, over half selected power providers for data centers as their top AI investment opportunity. Meanwhile, just one-fifth favor large U.S. tech groups.
Meanwhile, demand for AI hardware remains strong. In 2026, the semiconductor industry is projected to reach $1 trillion in revenue, marking a growth of 29% year-over-year, according to a Wells Fargo sector outlook note dated January 15, 2026. The growth is assumed to stem from AI workloads transitioning from training to inference, driving broader chip utilization.
On the other hand, according to Deutsche Bank analysts Adrian Cox and Stefan Abrudan, investors should not rush as they predict 2026 will be AI’s “hardest year yet.” In the new Deutsche Bank Research Institute note published on January 20, 2026, the analysts cited supply-chain bottlenecks, particularly energy shortages, as a key constraint.
This backdrop now leads us to our list of the 10 best AI energy stocks to buy now.
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Our Methodology
To curate our list of the 10 best AI energy stocks, we relied on the financial media and other resources to compile a list of AI energy stocks that either directly supply electricity to AI data centers or deliver the AI infrastructure and fuel systems required to support AI-driven power demand. Finally, we assessed hedge fund sentiment and ranked these stocks in ascending order by the number of hedge funds bullish on each as of Q3 2025. To measure hedge fund sentiment, we used Insider Monkey’s hedge fund database, which tracks 978 stocks as of Q3 2025.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 427.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 264 percentage points (see more details here).
10. Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 64
Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE) is one of the best AI energy stocks to buy now.
On January 16, 2026, shares of Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE) surged to an all-time high of $147.93. Over the past year, the shares have climbed 470.43% as investor momentum remains strong amid the company’s growing role in next-generation, distributed power solutions. The optimism also stems from rising visibility into long-duration demand amid grid constraints and data-center-driven load growth.
The confidence builds upon the developments reported earlier in the month. On January 8, 2026, it was announced that one of American Electric Power’s subsidiaries exercised its option to acquire a substantial portion of Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE)’s solid oxide fuel cells. This translates into an unconditional agreement for roughly $2.65 billion in equipment under a 20-year offtake arrangement with a high-investment-grade third-party customer.
The move also gained analyst attention, with Evercore ISI describing the agreement as a significant achievement. The firm highlighted that expected volumes significantly exceed minimum commitments and reinforce the company’s commercial pipeline depth. Accordingly, the firm reiterated its ‘Outperform’ rating with a $152 price target on January 8, 2026. Amid stronger sales momentum from the solid oxide fuel cells order, Clear Street raised the price target on Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE) from $58 to $68, reiterating a ‘Hold’ rating on the same day.
Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE) focuses on designing and installing solid oxide fuel cell systems that generate electricity from natural gas or biogas and deliver on-site, low-emission power solutions for utilities and commercial customers.
9. NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 72
NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) is included in our list of the AI energy stocks to buy now.
On January 14, 2026, NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) saw Jefferies slightly lower its price target from $88 to $87, while reiterating a ‘Hold’ rating. The firm’s target reduction was attributed to valuation discipline rather than a shift in fundamentals. Furthermore, Jefferies expressed confidence in management’s goal to achieve 8%+ EPS growth. In 2026, the firm cites large data center-related power contracts as the key catalyst for the stock. Moreover, the firm sees no meaningful new disclosures in the upcoming fourth-quarter earnings call, as strategic updates have already been digested at the December Investor Day. Thus, Jefferies is more focused on execution rather than short-term narrative shifts.
Meanwhile, on the execution front, NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) and Meta Platforms finalized roughly 2.5 GW of clean energy agreements across 13 projects. Spanning PPAs and energy storage agreements across ERCOT, SPP, MISO, and New Mexico, the contracts are expected to come online between 2026 and 2028. The move reinforces the company’s positioning as a leading partner for hyperscalers scaling power-intensive data centers.
NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE), a leading U.S. renewable power company, operates the regulated Florida utility FPL and its energy infrastructure arm, NEER. The company is focused on wind, solar, and battery storage avenues.
8. Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 73
Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR) is one of the best AI energy stocks to buy now.
On January 19, 2026, Wolfe Research issued a constructive outlook for clean energy, noting that the sector entered 2026 with improving fundamentals following a volatile 2025. At the same time, the firm remains bullish on Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR), citing a very manageable impact from President Donald Trump’s second term and less-than-expected impact from an execution order associated with clean-energy tax credits.
Meanwhile, the AI-driven data center buildout is drawing increased attention amid accelerating power demand, according to the investment firm. Furthermore, investors’ focus is shifting toward quality cash flows rather than speculative names after valuations received a boost from a strong second-half rally, the firm stated. Amid this backdrop, Wolfe Research cited Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR) as its preferred pick, alongside Mastec, given both companies’ strong footprint across power, gas, and transmission markets. The two names were also favored due to a surge in corporate spending on data centers.
Wolfe Research’s update followed Seaport Research’s January 9, 2026, update, where the firm upgraded Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR) from ‘Neutral’ to ‘Buy’, setting a $503 price target. While the analyst’s broader picture of the stock remains cautious, the company was the firm’s top large-cap pick for 2026. The firm remained confident in the sector’s outlook due to benefits from a tight U.S. skilled-labor market, power supercycle growth in the Electric Division, and acquisition synergies.
Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR) delivers infrastructure solutions across electric power, renewable energy, and underground markets. The company supports utility and energy customers with construction, maintenance, and project services across transmission, distribution, and related systems.
