Microsoft Launches Massive Green Energy Push
Microsoft will likely be one of the world’s largest energy consumers because of its move into AI. It uses massive amounts of electricity, so it has set a deal to help offset that use. Brookfield Asset Management and Brookfield Renewable have joined Microsoft to create a global renewable energy agreement “to contribute to Microsoft’s goal of having 100% of its electricity consumption, 100% of the time, matched by zero carbon energy purchases by 2030.”
Brookfield will attempt to deliver 10.5 gigawatts or more of new renewable energy capacity between 2026 and 2030. Geographically, the arrangement will cover the U.S. and Europe. The companies said, “The agreement provides Microsoft with access to a pipeline of new renewable energy capacity to support the growing demand for cloud services at home and at work. The scale of the new capacity from Brookfield will contribute to the decarbonization of the grid and accelerate the global shift to renewable energy solutions within the cloud industry.” The primary source will be solar and wind.
Will it work? It’s hard to say because it will be hard to do. The 10.5 gigawatts level is incredibly high. It will come from hundreds, if not thousands, of sources and locations. Logistically, it will be a tremendous burden. As with most highly complex alternative energy projects, it is impossible to predict.
