Meta has officially withdrawn from RE100, a global initiative led by the UK-based Climate Group that encourages companies to source all their electricity from renewable energy.The company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, joined the initiative in 2016 but is no longer listed as a member.

According to the Climate Group, Meta's recent investments in new natural gas-powered electricity projects mean it no longer meets the technical requirements for RE100 membership.

This decision comes as major technology companies continue to build large artificial intelligence and cloud data centres that require huge amounts of electricity.

Meta has entered agreements with utility providers to bring new gas-fired power plants online, including plans linked to its Hyperion data centre in Louisiana.

Even with its exit from RE100, Meta says it remains committed to matching its annual electricity consumption with 100 percent clean energy through long-term renewable energy purchase agreements, a target it says it has achieved since 2020.The company insists that leaving the initiative does not change its broader clean energy strategy.However, environmental concerns remain because natural gas, although cleaner than coal, still produces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.Methane leaks during gas production also contribute significantly to climate change.Meta is not the only technology company taking this approach.

Microsoft recently agreed to use natural gas-generated electricity for a data centre project in Texas, while reports have also linked Google to similar arrangements.The development reflects the growing challenge of balancing the massive power needs of AI infrastructure with corporate climate commitments.