Google has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) to purchase renewable electricity from a Scottish offshore wind farm.
The agreement, reached with ENGIE, covers 100 MW of the capacity of the 882 MW Moray West offshore wind farm on the outskirts of the Moray Firth, which is expected to be fully operational by early 2025 with an operational life of more than 25 years. .
The deal will see Google UK operate on or near 90% carbon-free energy (CFE) by 2025, up from a projected 67%, and bring the tech giant closer to its overall goal of operating on carbon-free energy by 2030 in its UK offices and cloud hubs.
Google said that achieving its goal by 2023 “will ensure that every email you send through Gmail, every question you ask on Google Search, and every YouTube video you watch is backed by data centers where power is combined with sources carbon-free locations every hour.
The ENGIE PPA will also make the UK one of six Google Cloud regions, including Finland, Iowa, Montreal, Spain and Toronto, powered by renewables.
The carbon-free energy deal is the latest in a series of investments by Google in the UK, following the purchase of the Central Saint Giles office in central London and the completion of Google’s development in London Kings Cross, which will be the first, designed and wholly owned. Google building outside the US
Commenting on the announcement, Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, said: “We must all play our part to end Scotland’s contribution to climate change, and the private sector has a key role to play in this. trip. Scotland can show the rest of the world how it’s done and ensure our people, businesses and communities are at the forefront of a greener and more sustainable economy.
