• More than 1,500 businesses now track hourly matched electricity, three times more than a year ago.
• AirTrunk, AstraZeneca, Google, Shree Cement and Unilever are among eight companies joining the 24/7 Carbon-Free Coalition.
• The shift could reshape corporate power buying, improve price stability and reduce exposure to fossil fuel volatility.

Businesses move beyond annual renewables matching

Global companies are moving into a more demanding phase of clean energy procurement, as new data shows 24/7 carbon-free electricity is gaining wider corporate adoption.

Climate Group launched its expanded 24/7 Carbon-Free Coalition during London Climate Action Week, with eight major companies joining the effort. AirTrunk, AstraZeneca, Cathay Financial Holdings, Cathay Life, Google, Princeton Digital Group, Shree Cement and Unilever will measure and report hourly matched electricity use in at least one market within the next two years.

The move takes corporate clean power strategy beyond annual renewable energy matching. Instead, companies will work toward matching electricity use with carbon-free power on an hourly basis. That means tracking when and where electricity is consumed, then aligning that demand with available clean generation.

For large energy users, the shift carries financial and operational weight. Better visibility into electricity demand can help companies manage costs, improve resilience and reduce exposure to fossil fuel price volatility. It can also give executives clearer data on the quality of their renewable energy claims.

Hourly matching gains ground

New data published by Granular Energy for London Climate Action Week shows rapid growth in hourly matching. More than 1,500 businesses globally now record their electricity on an hourly matched basis. That is three times more than at the same point last year.

The supplier market is also changing. Granular Energy’s data shows a fourfold increase in energy suppliers offering hourly matching tariffs within the past year. UK energy suppliers currently offer the highest number of hourly tariffs of any country.

This matters for corporate buyers. Until recently, 24/7 carbon-free electricity was often viewed as complex, expensive and limited to a small group of advanced clean energy users. Specialist platforms now make measurement and tracking easier. At the same time, costs continue to fall for carbon-free generation and battery storage.

The result is a clearer procurement pathway. Companies can use hourly data to understand gaps between their demand and available clean power. They can also send stronger market demand for firm and flexible carbon-free electricity, including storage and other technologies that support grid reliability.

Coalition aims to shape global standards

Climate Group said the coalition will support companies with peer networking, knowledge sharing and technical advice. The goal is to help businesses measure and report hourly clean energy matching, while also shaping transition pathways for wider corporate adoption.

The initiative builds on Climate Group’s technical framework, published last year. The framework set out guidance for procuring carbon-free electricity that is both time and location matched.

That guidance is important for governance. Corporate clean energy claims face more scrutiny from investors, regulators and civil society. Annual renewables matching has helped scale demand for clean power. Yet it can mask the real carbon intensity of electricity use at different times of day.

Hourly matching offers a more granular approach. It can help companies prepare for evolving reporting standards and cleaner power market rules. It also gives boards and sustainability teams better data for procurement decisions.

RELATED ARTICLE: Vattenfall Joins Corporate Leaders Group to Drive EU Climate Action

Helen Clarkson, CEO of Climate Group, said: “The energy transition is entering a new phase, with businesses looking beyond annual renewable matching to invest in solutions that can deliver carbon-free electricity around the clock. There’s been so much discussion recently about 24/7 carbon-free electricity, we’re so pleased that new world-leading companies are joining the Coalition, working together to explore how it works in practice and what advantages it might give through better insight into their electricity use, preparation in facing energy price shocks, and helping call time on fossil fuels.”

Unilever sees procurement value

Unilever’s decision to join reflects a wider C-suite priority. The company wants more detailed insight into how clean electricity availability matches its demand across operating markets.

Rianne Buter, Unilever’s Global Head of Sustainability, said: “Joining the 24/7 Carbon-Free Coalition will give Unilever access to expertise and best practice approaches to building a more granular understanding of when and where carbon-free electricity is available and how this aligns with our demand in the markets we operate within. Using this data to evolve our electricity demand and procurement strategies will ensure we stay one step ahead of the rapid changes which many electricity systems are undergoing. By sharing our own progress and learnings, in partnership with other international businesses, we hope to be able to prove the business case and inspire more corporates to follow suit.”

For investors and executives, the message is direct. Clean electricity procurement is moving from volume-based claims toward time-based performance. Companies that adapt early may gain better cost control, stronger reporting and more credible decarbonization strategies.

The coalition also points to a broader market shift. As grids face rising demand, climate pressure and price volatility, hourly matched clean power could become a central feature of corporate energy strategy. For global businesses, the next test is execution across markets with very different energy systems.