Spain Via New Wind & Solar Deals
Google has announced two new renewable energy power purchase agreements in the United Kingdom and Spain, which will allow the company to run using at least 90 percent carbon-free energy (CFE) in each country by 2025.
In the United Kingdom, Google will purchase 100 MW of offshore wind from ENGIE, and in Spain, 149 MW of solar energy from ib Vogt.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, declared a 24/7 CFE goal in 2020, seeking to run its whole business on carbon-free energy by 2030. Operating on 24/7 CFE necessitates balancing the electricity demand with the CFE supply every hour of every day, in every zone where the business operates.
Google disclosed earlier this year that 66% of its energy use in 2021 was in line with this goal, but the company also noted that headwinds, such as a lack of available renewable energy and delays to CFE construction due to supply disruptions and interconnection issues, had slowed progress towards its objective.
While Google has been matching 100% of its annual electricity consumption with renewable energy since 2017, the new agreements will allow its cloud regions and offices in the UK and Spain to be matched hourly with local, CFE sources. The business also stated that the agreements will facilitate the building of new wind and solar farms, thereby enhancing their national electrical systems with renewable energy sources.
In a blog post announcing the new partnerships, Matt Brittin, who is the head of Google in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, said:
"At Google, we are committed to being a helpful partner and finding ways to have a meaningful, scalable effect. This includes not only achieving our own goal of running on carbon-free energy 24/7 by 2030, but also contributing to creating greener and more resilient electricity grids in the areas where we operate and helping other businesses, individuals, and governments reduce their own emissions." Many companies around the world have shifted the focus of Google's climate and clean energy efforts to their value chains, which are where most of their carbon footprints are.
BBVA's global head of sustainability, Javier Rodriguez Soler, stated
"We applaud this additional renewable energy initiative and Google's commitment to carbon-free energy. Utilizing Google Cloud's Madrid area helps BBVA reduce the carbon impact of its IT operations and furthers its commitment to sustainability.
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