Google Aims for Carbon-Free Data Centres by 2030
Google is on a bold mission: to power its data centres with entirely carbon-free energy around the clock, by 2030.
The tech giant has hit the ground running in 2024, pledging generous investments to construct and operate data centres worldwide. This ambitious endeavour includes launching a new facility on the outskirts of London, UK, poised to propel AI advancement.
Yet, Google's greener data centre vision hit a snag in Ireland, where plans for a new facility near Dublin were vetoed. The local grid's incapacity to support the energy demands of another data centre was the sticking point, sparking debates on the feasibility of green AI and data centre operations.
Google's green data centre journey
Google's environmental commitment faced scrutiny when its 2024 Environmental Report disclosed a 13% spike in greenhouse gas emissions in just one year, a consequence of AI and data centre energy needs and supply chain emissions.
Its CSO Kate Brandt and Benedict Gomes, SVP, Learning & Sustainability, said: "In spite of the progress we are making, we face significant challenges that we're actively working through.
A sustainable future requires systems-level change, strong government policies and new technologies. We’re committed to collaboration and playing our part, every step of the way.”
Environmental concerns have since prompted Google to pause new data centre projects, including plans for a Dublin site and a US$200m facility in Chile.
Google said in a statement: "A new process will start from scratch... Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and the way we design and manage our data centres is no exception."
The increasing energy consumption and climate change fears are gearing up for more intense scrutiny on data centre construction globally.
AI's future and aligning it with Google's vision
Meeting its net-zero emissions target by 2030 across all operations and chains is a part of Google's strategy.
This ambitious goal involves slashing 50% of its combined Scope 1, 2 and 3 absolute emissions by the end of the decade, with Google keen on investing in both nature-based and technological carbon removal solutions.
From 2010 to 2023, we signed more than 115 agreements totaling over 14 GW of clean energy generation capacity—the equivalent of more than 36 million solar panels. Now, in our third decade of climate action, we’ve set a goal to run on 24/7 carbon-free energy on every grid where we operate by 2030, aiming to procure clean energy to meet our electricity needs, every hour of every day. Achieving this will also increase the impact of our clean energy procurement on the decarbonization of the grids that serve us.
Operating its data centres on 100% carbon-free energy, including solar and wind, underpins this strategy.
As nations like the UK recognise data centres as critical infrastructure, the significance of these facilities in modern digital economies only escalates.
With AI at the heart of this demand, developing these centres sustainably becomes paramount.
Google remains committed to nurturing the digital transition through its infrastructure endeavours.
Kate and Benedict conclude: "We expect this trend to continue in the future, but we see our growing infrastructure as an opportunity to drive the innovations and investments needed to power a low-carbon economy."
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