Bloom Energy makes power cells and is growing quickly.
Brookfield Renewable owns a globally diversified portfolio of clean energy assets.
NextEra Energy is a mix of an electric utility and a clean energy giant.
Attention on Wall Street often focuses on the most notable events. This is why the geopolitical conflict in the Middle East, which has driven volatile oil prices, is top of mind for most investors. Lofty oil prices aren't going to stop the green energy transition that's taking shape, and might even help it along.
If you can see past the oil-driven headlines, you might want to take a second look at the clean energy sector. Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) could be attractive for more aggressive investors. Brookfield Renewable (NYSE: BEP)(NYSE: BEPC) is a solid choice for income investors who want broad clean energy exposure. And NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) is a great option for conservative investors who aren't ready to jump in with both feet. Here's what you need to know.
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Bloom Energy stock is up over 1,000% in a year. It is only appropriate for aggressive growth investors. That said, the company's fuel cells are in high demand right now, and it is growing quickly. Revenues increased 37% in 2025, and the company's backlog sits at $20 billion, of which only $6 billion is product-related. The rest of the backlog is tied to services provided to owners of its fuel cells.
Services are the real flywheel for the business, with the large services backlog suggesting years of strong revenue performance ahead. The big draw right now, however, is that Bloom Energy's fuel cells help to solve a problem. They allow companies to generate power on-site when a grid connection isn't quickly available or to provide backup power for situations where facilities, like data centers, can't afford grid-related downtime. Highlighting the company's attractive technology, it just inked an agreement with Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) for up to 2.8 gigawatts of fuel cells to support the tech giant's investment in data centers.
Brookfield Renewable owns a globally diversified portfolio of clean energy assets. It has exposure across the hydroelectric, solar, wind, and nuclear power sectors. It also owns battery storage assets. An active portfolio manager, it is always buying, building, and selling assets. It is partnered with tech giants like Google and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) to provide them with clean energy.
Brookfield Renewable is an income investment, with management targeting dividend growth of 5% to 9% annually. That said, there are two ways to own it. The partnership share class yields 4.7%, while the corporate shares yield 3.9%. They represent the same business and have the same dividend; the yield difference exists because there is greater demand for the corporate shares. The dividend has grown steadily for years, and there's no particular reason why smaller investors should avoid the higher-yielding partnership units.
If you want a simple way to get the broadest possible exposure to the clean energy sector, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better option than Brookfield Renewable.
If you aren't ready to jump into the clean energy sector with both feet, then NextEra is probably the best choice for you. The core of the business is the company's regulated utility operations in Florida. This half of NextEra's business is a slow-and-steady grower. On top of that, it has layered a fast-growing solar and wind power operation. At this point, NextEra Energy is one of the world's leading players in solar and wind.
The dividend yield is 2.7%, with the dividend expected to grow by around 6% a year over the next couple of years. With decades of dividend growth behind it, NextEra Energy is a reliable dividend growth stock that even more conservative investors should be comfortable owning. It probably won't be exciting, but it lets you get some exposure to renewable power without having to own a business entirely reliant on the success of the green transition.
If green energy investments were a swimming pool, Bloom Energy would be the deep end. Only the most aggressive investors should consider this highly focused, fast-growing business. Brookfield Renewable is a middle ground where you could swim if you wanted, but the water is shallow enough that you could stand up if you needed to. It is a good balance of risk and reward. NextEra Energy is the shallow end of the pool, where you can't really swim, but you are still getting your feet wet.
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Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in Brookfield Renewable Partners. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bloom Energy, Microsoft, NextEra Energy, and Oracle. The Motley Fool recommends Brookfield Renewable and Brookfield Renewable Partners. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.