Google aims to power its data centers and offices entirely with zero-carbon electricity by 2030, CEO Sundar Pichai said. The “stretch goal,” as Pichai described it, will force Google to go beyond the tech industry norm of offsetting carbon emissions from electricity use and will require technological and policy advances to achieve it.
“The problem is so immense that many of us need to show the way and show solutions,” said the executive.
Solar, wind and other renewable sources accounted for, for example, 61% of Google's global hourly electricity use last year. The proportion varied by location, with carbon-free sources meeting 96% of hourly power needs at the company's Oklahoma (US) data center, compared with 3% at its gas-dependent operation in Singapore.
Google also highlighted that for zero carbon emissions in the future it can use batteries to store photovoltaic energy at night, emerging sources such as geothermal reservoirs and have better management of energy needs.
“To plan 24/2030, carbon-free in our data centers and campuses around the world, we see a huge logistics challenge, which is why we work hard to get there. We are confident that we can get there in XNUMX”, concluded Pichai.
