Brookfield Asset Management has announced plans to invest up to $5 billion in Bloom Energy’s fuel cell technology to power data centres, marking a significant move towards cleaner energy solutions for the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) sector.
This investment, Brookfield’s first under its dedicated AI Infrastructure strategy, reflects a growing shift towards sustainable power sources — including nuclear, renewables, and fuel cells — as companies race to meet soaring energy demands from AI and cloud computing.
Analysts at Evercore ISI noted that Bloom’s solid oxide fuel cells provide “reliable, scalable and clean on-site power”, adding that hybrid energy systems could help address delays and regulatory challenges associated with expanding traditional grid capacity.
Bloom Energy’s technology is already in use at data centres operated by American Electric Power, Equinix and Oracle. The companies are also collaborating to design and deliver “AI factories” globally, with a European project expected to be announced before year-end.
Brookfield has been actively expanding its AI infrastructure footprint across Europe. Earlier this year, it unveiled plans to invest up to 95 billion Swedish crowns ($9.98 billion) to construct an AI data centre in Sweden, alongside a €20 billion commitment for AI projects in France. Fuel cells, which generate electricity through chemical reactions rather than combustion, produce by-products such as water and heat — offering a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to conventional power sources.
