Google wants to compensate for the pollution of its data centers with the help of wind energy
In a bid to become more sustainable, Google has confirmed its largest ever deal to secure offshore wind power for its European data centres.
The cloud computing giant’s power purchase agreements with CrossWind and Ecowende, joint ventures between Shell and Eneco, will support two new wind farms off the coast of the Netherlands.
In a blog postthe company revealed how its new initiative is a crucial part of Google’s ambitious yet seemingly realistic plan to match 100% of its data centers’ electricity consumption with clean, green and renewable energy generation by 2030.
Google is investing in more wind energy
βAt Google, we know that climate change is a top priority for many of our users, with search interest for ‘energy crisis’ set to reach a record high in 2023,β said Matt Brittin, president of Google Europe, Middle East and Africa.
“That is why we are committed to developing sustainable solutions for our users, companies, governments and our own business operations”
In Europe, Google will add more than 700 megawatts of energy capacity to the electricity grid, and the Dutch project represents a significant portion of that. It is expected that the companies will contribute approximately 6% to the annual electricity consumption in the Netherlands. No less than two-fifths of Dutch energy production now comes from sustainable sources.
At the same time, Google also announced smaller renewable energy purchase agreements in Italy, Poland and Belgium.
Together with previous power purchase agreements, Google expects that its Dutch data centers will now achieve 90% clean energy consumption this year.
While tech companies, including Microsoft and Apple, have all announced plans for more clean energy, it’s important to note that they won’t necessarily be powered directly by renewable energy, but rather draw as much from the grid as possible. , which includes partly renewable and partly fossil fuels.
Rather than relying on renewable energy certificates, which have seen falling prices recently, Google has also committed to purchasing locally and hourly carbon-free energy, essentially enabling its continued development and subsequent expansion of clean energy production is stimulated.
While it may not be as simple nor as black and white as merely powering operations with clean energy, Google’s plans do show a promising commitment to reducing dependence on fossil fuels.