The conversation about clean energy leadership is evolving. It’s no longer dominated by utilities or policymakers. Today, retailers are at the center of the U.S. energy transition, especially in competitive markets such as ERCOT and in parts of PJM and MISO. The contracts retailers design, the products they launch, and the intelligence they apply to customer needs are shaping the pace of decarbonization.

Ahead of National Clean Energy Week in the US (Sep 15-19), here’s why delivering clean energy solutions that are credible, scalable, and commercially viable is redefining what it means to be a retailer in the U.S.

Why the retailer moment has arrived

Billions in federal incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, coupled with record utility-scale investments in renewables and storage, have reshaped the supply landscape. At the same time, corporate buyers have made public commitments to 100% renewable energy, fundamentally changing how procurement decisions are made.

In terms of clean energy, what was once a “nice-to-have” product offering has evolved to become an important driver of market share and brand equity. In the last year alone, U.S. retailers invested $33.6 billion in green technologies (Source) a signal that those closest to customers recognize where the next phase of value creation lies.

Net Zero as a competitive strategy

The companies gaining ground today are those who understand that net zero and commercial success are no longer in opposition. Leaders like Enel North America are proving that clean retail products gives customers renewable options without locking them into rigid PPAs (Source), while players like TotalEnergies are scaling on-site solar deals that offer predictable pricing and measurable carbon reductions (Source).

These are not niche offerings. They are mainstream, profitable business models that deepen customer loyalty, attract capital, and expand the retailer’s role in the value chain. For boards and executive teams, there’s a new question on the table: Whether your organization is positioned to lead or follow as markets accelerate.

Margin, volatility, and the data advantage

Margins in retail remain tight, and volatility is intensifying. Analysts estimate U.S. food retail energy spend is on the order of tens of billions of dollars annually, with some placing it near $60 billion. Even small efficiency and procurement gains materially affect competitiveness (Source).

This makes the ability to harness data—to forecast, price dynamically, and design flexible products that reflect real risk and usage profiles—a durable advantage. Executives who invest in robust data platforms and analytics are creating operational efficiency they can measure and control. 

In this respect, sustainability challenges have flipped from a puzzle to a pathway to protecting and expanding margins.

US retailers as climate leaders

What senior leaders must recognize is that retailers now set the pace of the transition. The way you structure contracts and design tariffs has a direct impact on how quickly industrial and commercial customers can deploy clean energy: This means reframing your position from a purely commercial perspective to that of a climate leader, a trail-blazer who can predict and overcome systemic consequences.

This responsibility is also a brand opportunity. As customers, regulators, and shareholders scrutinize climate claims, transparency around cost, risk, and carbon impact will distinguish the leaders from the laggards. Retailers that can turn complexity into clarity will own the narrative and win the hearts and minds of customers.

From intermediaries to architects

The retailers that are pulling ahead are reimagining their place in the energy system, stepping into a role where they actively shape how clean energy is produced, delivered, and consumed. 

This shift doesn’t happen by accident; it comes from decision-makers making deliberate choices to invest in the platforms, products, and people that can drive both immediate commercial performance and long-term climate impact. Those investments create the foundation for growth, but they also open the door to entirely new revenue streams that wouldn’t exist without a sustainability lens. 

As customers place greater value on decarbonization, retailers that can meet those expectations build stronger, more resilient relationships that translate into higher retention and premium market positioning. The benefits extend beyond customer loyalty, creating the kind of market presence that attracts capital, strengthens brand equity, and establishes U.S. retailers as global leaders in the energy transition.

How Gorilla enables retailers to lead

At Gorilla, we see this transformation unfolding every day, as retailers push to redefine their role in increasingly complex and competitive markets. Our data platform was built specifically for the challenges of deregulation, giving leaders the ability to act with greater speed, clarity, and confidence. 

By bringing pricing, forecasting, and portfolio analysis together in one place, we enable retailers to design more flexible tariffs for C&I customers, reprice residential catalogs in real time, and manage their portfolios with far more precision. This kind of integration doesn’t just streamline operations — it strengthens customer relationships by making clean energy offerings easier to access, easier to trust, and easier to scale. 

The payoff is both commercial and strategic: healthier margins today, greater resilience against volatility tomorrow, and a clearer path toward the net-zero commitments that define the next era of retail leadership in the U.S. energy market.

National Clean Energy Week takes place in the US September 15-19 2025.