Sustainable IT Services News 12 January 2026: New Jersey Considers Data Center Energy Tariffs; Top 10 Carbon Accounting Software Platforms; More

Here is today's sustainable IT services news, research and analysis for channel partners, MSPs, climate accounting professionals, consultants and the chief sustainability officers (CSOs) they serve.

A. Sustainable IT Partnerships, Strategic Alliances and Strategies

1. Carbon Accounting Software: The Top 10 carbon accounting software platforms for 2026 include Watershed, Persefoni, Normative, Sweep, Plan A (acquired by Diginex in December 2025), Sphera, Salesforce Net Zero Cloud, IBM, Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability, and Workiva, according to Inventiva. The media site did not disclose how it chose and ranked the top 10 firms.

2. CSR Consulting Firms: The Top 10 CSR consulting firms for 2026 include Deloitte, McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), EY, PwC, KPMG, Accenture, ERM, Bain & Company, and FSG, according to Inventiva. The media site did not disclose how it chose and ranked the top 10 firms.

3. AI Energy Consumption - Downplaying Concerns: Alarmists are overstating AI data center energy consumption issues, according to Bobby Hollis, VP of energy at Microsoft, told The Edge Singapore. Hollis noted that cloud services initially triggered energy consumption concerns before such concerns dissipated. Related: Microsoft sustainability strategy and channel partner implications.

4. IT Distribution Services: Westcon-Comstor has introduced a new energy management system (EMS) across its European operations, "strengthening the distributor's data-led sustainability strategy and supporting its net-zero targets," IT Brief reported. Key partners include UK-based energy management specialist ecoDriver and delivery partner Powercor, the report said.

5. Data Centers & Nuclear Power: Meta Platforms, parent of Facebook, struck 20-year agreements to buy power from three Vistra nuclear plants in the U.S. heartland. Also, Meta will help develop small modular reactors planned by Oklo and TerraPower, the latter of which is backed by Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Bill Gates, Reuters reported. Related: Nuclear energy and AI data center developments.

6. Leadership: Amazon Chief Sustainability Officer Kara Hurst has joined Water.org as chair of the organization's board. Water.org is a global nonprofit organization strive to offer access to safe water and sanitation worldwide. Related: Amazon sustainability strategy and channel partner implications.

7. Exits: UnitedHealth Group Executive VP and CSO Patricia Lewis exited the company in December 2025 and launched her own consulting firm in January 2026, according to her LinkedIn profile. Separately, Marissa Jarratt, executive VP and chief marketing and sustainability officer for 7-Eleven, exited the company in January 2026, C-Store Dive reported. Related: List of sustainability executive moves in January 2026.

B. Sustainable IT Investments, Funding, Earnings and Business Launches

1. Renewable Energy Partnership: Nextpower and Abunayyan Holding have jointly launched Nextpower Arabia in Saudi Arabia. The joint venture will "accelerate the deployment of utility-scale solar power plants across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, supporting national and regional renewable energy transformation objectives and Net Zero targets," the two organizations said. Abunayyan Holding and Nextpower will back the joint venture with $88 million (approximately 330 million Saudi Riyals) in equity and public and private debt financings over the next two years, the organizations said.

C. Regional and Global Sustainability Policies, Regulations and News

1. COP31: Chris Bowen, Australia’s COP31 chief negotiator, plans to lobby petrostates such as Saudi Arabia on fossil fuel phaseout, The Guardian reported. Related: COP31 news and climate conference developments.

2. United States - New Jersey Data Center Legislation: New Jersey legislators are exploring potential AI data center tariffs. The tariffs would inspire AI data center companies to embrace energy efficient technologies -- while helping to ensure consumer energy costs don't skyrocket in the state, advocates allege, according to Philly Voice.

D. Sustainability Conferences, Summits and Events

1. World Future Energy Summit 2026 (January 13-15, UAE)
2. Sustainable and Impact Investments International Conference (January 22-23, Hamburg, Germany)
3. IMPACT Sustainability Travel and Tourism Summit 2026 (January 26-28, Victoria, BC, Canada)
4. Alabama Coastal Foundation 2026 Sustainability Summit (January 30, Gulf Shores)
5. Sustainable Retail Summit 2026 (February 3-6, Paris, France)
6. Complete Sustainability Conference Calendar

E. Previous Updates & Future News

1. Previous News: All of our daily news updates are here.
2. Future Updates: If you have news to share then please email me the details.