Energy demand is growing briskly, and that bodes well for the companies producing the hydrocarbons we need today and those delivering the cleaner energy we'll need tomorrow. These energy companies should generate strong returns for investors as a result.
TotalEnergies (TTE -0.66%), NextEra Energy (NEE -0.84%), and Brookfield Renewable (BEPC -7.56%) (BEP -6.21%) stand out to a few Fool.com contributing analysts as great buys in the energy sector. Here's why they're such attractive investments this August.

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TotalEnergies is prepared for the clean energy transition
Reuben Gregg Brewer (TotalEnergies): The integrated energy model that's being used by TotalEnergies stands out from its closest peers in a very important way. Most energy giants focus on owning assets that span from the upstream (production) through the midstream (pipelines) and on to the downstream (chemicals and refining). That's great, and it provides a way for investors to get energy exposure while softening the impact of volatile commodity prices.
TotalEnergies adds electricity to the mix, with a collection of renewable power and electric generation assets. Although BP and Shell both professed to have similar ambitions in 2020, they have since walked back their plans on the electricity front. TotalEnergies, by contrast, has increased its focus on the space. And, notably, BP and Shell cut their dividends when they announced their clean energy shifts while TotalEnergies didn't cut, specifically stating that it recognized how important the dividend is to investors.
So, in the end, BP and Shell investors were really just left with a dividend cut. TotalEnergies investors got dividend increases and the diversification benefit of the energy company's shift into electricity and clean energy. The really big benefit here, however, is long-term in nature. As peers focus on oil while the world slowly shifts toward renewable power, TotalEnergies is preparing today for the future. Add in a lofty 6.4% dividend yield (U.S. investors have to pay French taxes and fees on the income they collect), and Total Energies is a great long-term option in the energy patch.
Powerful growth drivers
Matt DiLallo (NextEra Energy): NextEra Energy is growing quickly, especially for a utility. Adjusted earnings per share rose 9.4% in the second quarter, powered by growth in its Florida electric utility and energy resources segment. The latter business continues to benefit from strong demand for renewable energy. NextEra's energy resource segment ended the first quarter with nearly 30 gigawatts of renewable projects in backlog, compared with 38 GW of operating assets.
Building on this momentum, the company expects to keep growing in the coming years. NextEra projects its adjusted earnings per share will rise 6% to 8% annually through 2027. CEO John Ketchum said he would "be disappointed if we are not able to deliver financial results at or near the top of our adjusted earnings per share expectations ranges in each year through 2027, while maintaining our strong balance sheet and credit ratings." NextEra also expects about 10% annual dividend growth through at least next year.
NextEra Energy should keep growing at a healthy rate well beyond that. Analysts expect U.S. power demand to surge in the coming decades, driven by the growth of AI data centers, electrification, and the onshoring of manufacturing. This will require far more renewable energy capacity. As a renewable-energy leader, NextEra Energy should benefit from this sector's surging demand.
Given these strong growth prospects and its attractive dividend yield of more than 3%, NextEra stands out as a compelling long-term investment. With its share price having dropped nearly 10% since the company reported second-quarter earnings last month, it's a great buy this August.
A top-notch energy dividend stock
Neha Chamaria (Brookfield Renewable): The Trump administration's shift away from renewables won't stop the global energy transition. Global renewable electricity generation is projected to grow by nearly 90% between 2023 and 2030, according to the International Energy Agency. The BloombergNEF's new energy outlook 2025, meanwhile, projects renewable generation to grow by 84% between 2025 and 2030, and then double by 2050.
Buying a top-notch renewable energy stock like Brookfield Renewable could therefore be one of your smartest investing moves now. That's because Brookfield Renewable not only generates over 40% cash flows from markets outside North America but is also one of the most diversified renewable energy plays, with operations across hydropower, wind, solar, and distributed energy and storage.
Brookfield Renewable just signed a first-of-its-kind hydro power agreement with tech giant Google to deliver up to 3,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power in the U.S. This deal comes on the back of yet another solid quarter, with Brookfield Renewable generating record funds from operations (FFO) in its second quarter, up 10% year over year.
With an ever-growing pipeline and a projected boom in demand for electricity driven by data centers, Brookfield Renewable is in the sweet spot and expects to grow its annual FFO per unit by over 10% in the long term. With Brookfield Renewable also targeting 5% to 9% annual dividend growth and its corporate shares yielding 4%, this energy stock is also among the top 10 dividend stocks to double up on now.