Google Loves Renewables! Investing $2 Billion in New Energy Infrastructure

Solar energy is a great source of energy as it is sustainable and environmentally friendly, but sometimes not everyone knows that this also includes commercial applications. The benefits of solar energy for commercial applications are of course not limited to lower costs and environmental awareness. Solar energy can help businesses save costs and run their operations using clean power.

Google is one such company that runs its entire operation using clean power generated from renewable energy sources.

The search engine giant – Google, signs up $2bn wind and solar investment across 3 continents. Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai has revealed plans for the biggest renewable energy deal in corporate history. As the company grows so does its energy demands, to stay ahead of that demand Google recently signed 18 new energy deals around the world that will help build large renewable energy infrastructure.

Google has become the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy by matching the huge power demand of its global operations and data centers with the electricity generated by renewable energy projects. These new deals will grow Google’s green energy portfolio by %40,  to 5,500 MW—equivalent to the capacity of a million solar rooftops.

Google Plans to Build Wind & Solar energy infrastructure
Google Plans to Build Wind & Solar energy infrastructure

The purchase consists of a 1,600-megawatt (MW) package of agreements, the implementation of the energy deals will require millions of solar panels and hundreds of wind turbines across three continents. Almost half (793 MW) of the new renewable energy capacity purchased will be located in Europe, specifically Finland (255 MW), Sweden (286 MW), Belgium (92 MW), and Denmark (160 MW).

Also Read: Can Solar Energy Be Stored?

Pichai writes that Google’s clean energy projects will be able to produce more electricity than is used by the city of Washington, D.C., or the entire country of Lithuania or Uruguay. Google has been carbon-neutral since 2007, according to the firm. The firm also vows to support organizations that expand access to clean energy for businesses and startups.

Google has also detailed all of its sustainability efforts to tackle climate change in its 2019 Environmental Report.

Aimal Khan is the founder & CEO of Engineering Passion. He is an engineer and has obtained his bachelor's degree in energy engineering from Kandahar University.