Google backs six new renewables projects in global clean energy push

James Murray
clock

IT giant boosts its access to renewable energy by 842MW through latest wave of power purchase agreements

Google has become the latest global company to use the Paris Climate Summit as a backdrop for a major new clean tech announcement, unveiling its largest set of renewable energy power purchase deals to date.

The company, which has been investing heavily in renewables projects as part of its efforts to triple its purchasing of renewable power by 2025 and power 100 per cent of its operations from clean energy, announced it had inked deals with six planned projects, totaling 842MW of capacity.

The projects include four deals in the US, which will see Google purchase power from two 200MW wind projects from RES Americas and EDF Renewable Energy, as well as a 225MW wind farm operated by Invenergy and a 61MW Duke Energy solar project. In addition, a deal has been signed with an 80MW Acciona Energia solar project in Chile and a 76MW Eolus Vind wind farm in Sweden.

Writing in a blog post announcing the move, Urs Hölzle, senior vice president technical infrastructure at the company, said the deals were "the largest, and most diverse, purchase of renewable energy ever made by a non-utility company".

He added that the agreements would allow the developers to move forward with the projects, bringing more clean power onto the grid. "These long-term contracts range from 10-20 years and provide projects with the financial certainty and scale necessary to build these wind and solar facilities - thus bringing new renewable energy onto the grid in these regions," he wrote. "For our part, these contracts not only help minimize the environmental impact of our services-they also make good business sense by ensuring good prices."

The deals are the latest in a series of high profile green commitments from multinational companies at the Paris Summit, including Monday's pledge by a group of technology entrepreneurs to mobilise billions of dollars of investment in clean tech R&D.

More on Energy

NESO: Nearly two million households and businesses joined grid flexibility services last winter

NESO: Nearly two million households and businesses joined grid flexibility services last winter

Sharp increase in number of properties taking part in flexible grid services underscores financial and emissions savings on offer

James Murray
clock 07 July 2025 • 4 min read
Zonal pricing: New research claims switch could avoid need for £27bn in grid spend

Zonal pricing: New research claims switch could avoid need for £27bn in grid spend

Study commissioned by Octopus Energy argues switch to zonal pricing could slash energy systems costs, as the grid continues to decarbonise

Michael Holder
clock 04 July 2025 • 5 min read
Report: An accelerated renewable energy rollout could unlock $20tr in global savings

Report: An accelerated renewable energy rollout could unlock $20tr in global savings

Research by the UN Development Programme alongside Octopus Energy and the University of Denver explores wider benefits from accelerating the shift away from fossil fuels

Michael Holder
clock 03 July 2025 • 4 min read