GHG Emissions, Commercial, Sourcing Renewables  -  May 4, 2021

Virginia Google Data Centers Will Use 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy

In a first-of-its-kind agreement, Google has partnered with AES Corporation to provide its Virginia data centers with 24/7 carbon-free energy. 

The 10-year agreement calls for a 500 MW mix of wind, solar, hydro, and battery storage, which will start supply later this year. At that point, Google’s data centers in Virginia will run on 90% carbon-free energy when measured on an hourly basis. This will bring Google closer to its 2030 target of 100% carbon-free energy on an hourly basis.

“Not only is this partnership with AES an important step towards achieving Google's 24/7 carbon-free energy goal, it also lays a blueprint for other companies looking to decarbonize their own operations," says Michael Terrell, Director of Energy at Google, in a statement. "Our hope is that this model can be replicated to accelerate the clean energy transition, both for companies and, eventually, for power grids."

"Last year, Google set an ambitious sustainability goal of committing to 100% 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030,” added Andrés Gluski, AES President and CEO. “Today, we are proud that through our collaboration with Google, we are making 24/7 carbon-free energy a reality for their data centers in Virginia. This first-of-its-kind solution, which we co-created with Google, will set a new sustainability standard for companies and organizations seeking to eliminate carbon from their energy supply."

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