The trends are very clear. Oil and natural gas will remain important fuel sources for decades to come. And green energy sources, like solar and wind power, are expected to continue their strong growth as overall energy demand expands. If you are considering investing in the broader energy sector, you should include some exposure to clean energy.
There are different ways to get clean energy exposure. For example, aggressive investors might consider Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) and its hydrogen fuel cells. A more conservative approach would be a diversified clean energy portfolio such as the one operated by Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP). Investors not quite ready to jump into the deep end, meanwhile, might want to consider U.S. utility NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE). Here’s a look at each one.
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Bloom Energy is a high-risk growth stock
Bloom Energy is a start-up that builds and sells hydrogen fuel cells. Its products are in high demand right now because they can be placed on-site at a customer’s facility. That allows businesses to get up and running even before they have a grid connection. As data centers are rapidly built to support the growth of artificial intelligence, customers are lining up to buy Bloom Energy’s products. It ended 2025 with a $6 billion product backlog.
That’s great news, but the real story is the other $14 billion of the backlog, which is tied to long-term service contracts. Bloom Energy is building a powerful flywheel that just gets larger every time it sells one of its fuel cells. The problem is that Wall Street is aware of the opportunity, so the stock has risen 1,400% over the past year alone. The investment story is very attractive, but only the most aggressive growth investors should buy Bloom Energy.
Brookfield Renewable Partners is a simple solution
Brookfield Renewable Partners goes to the other extreme. It isn’t focused on just one niche of the green energy world; it has exposure to almost the entire sector. The partnership owns a globally diversified portfolio of clean energy assets, including hydroelectric, solar, wind, storage, and nuclear power. It is an active portfolio manager, so it is always buying, selling, and building assets, effectively adjusting the portfolio as industry trends shift.
With one simple investment, you can essentially get all of your clean energy exposure. And, notably, you can collect a lofty 4.7% yield. The distribution has been increased regularly for a decade, at an annualized rate of 5%. The long-term goal is for annual increases of between 5% and 9% a year. Even more conservative dividend investors will likely find Brookfield Renewable Partners of interest.