Solar, Sourcing Renewables, Wind  -  April 4, 2018

Google reaches 100% RE target

Google confirmed that the company exceeded its goal to purchase enough renewable energy to match all electricity it consumed at its offices and data centers in 2017.

In a post on the 9 to 5 Google blog, the company reported, "Over the course of 2017, across the globe, for every kilowatt hour of electricity we consumed, we purchased a kilowatt hour of renewable energy from a wind or solar farm that was built specifically for Google." Noting that they are not able to power a company of Google’s scale with 100% renewable energy, the post added, "What’s important to us is that we are adding new clean energy sources to the electrical system, and that we’re buying that renewable energy in the same amount as what we’re consuming, globally and on an annual basis."

The blog noted that, at 3GW, the company has "more contracts to purchase renewable energy than any other corporate purchaser, with these deals leading to over $3 billion in new capital investment."

Going forward, the company said they are working to open up markets where it cannot buy renewables, with the goal of reaching the point "where renewables and other carbon-free energy sources actually power our operations every hour of every day."

Read These Related Articles:

• Renewable Energy Buyers' Principles adds 6 new participants to growing list of large-scale names
• Google retroactively offsets all carbon since founding
• Google Joins Energy Compact for 24/7 Carbon-Free Electricity
• Alphabet Allocates $3 Billion from Sustainability Bond
• Two DR Congo Communities Receive Non-Profit Backed Solar Grids