Getting Closer to a Carbon-Free Future: Google's Largest Offshore Wind Projects to Date

Delfzijl Noord wind farm
(Source: Eneco)

Google announce that its Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) for more than 700 MW of clean energy — including its largest offshore wind projects to date in The Netherlands. As a result, over the next couple of years, the company's operations are projected to reach more than 90% carbon-free energy in The Netherlands, Italy and Poland, and close to 85% in Belgium.

Together with the existing PPA that google has previously signed in The Netherlands, these projects will help its Dutch data centers and offices reach more than 90% carbon-free energy in 2024.

The company has signed PPA with Shell and with Eneco, owners of the Crosswind & Ecowende joint ventures, to support 478 MW of carbon-free energy capacity with two new-to-the-grid offshore wind farms: HKN V and HKW VI. These agreements support the development of these subsidy-free offshore wind farms, which are expected to contribute to about 6% percent of the country's annual electricity consumption and will foster technology innovation and ecological development.

In Italy, google has entered into its first long-term PPA to support an onshore wind energy project with 47 MW of clean energy generation capacity with Italian energy company ERG. The current projections indicate that, once operational, this agreement will help its offices in Italy, as well as Milan and Turin cloud regions, to reach more than 90% carbon-free energy on an hourly local basis in 2025.

Following its first power purchase agreement in Poland last year, Google is announcing 2 additional agreements for 106 MW of solar generation capacity with GoldenPeaks Capital. This will add clean energy to the grid that its projections indicate will help our offices and cloud region in Poland achieve more than 90% carbon free energy in 2025.

Finally, Google is announcing two new green energy deals in Belgium, which its current projections indicate that to operate offices and data centers in the country near 85% carbon-free energy on an hourly local basis in 2024. With these power purchase agreements, Google is helping bring 11 new onshore wind farms, developed by Aspiravi and Luminus, to the grid for a total capacity of 84 MW.