• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Google

Here Is Why Google Is Buying a Crazy Amount of Clean Energy

By
Katie Fehrenbacher
Katie Fehrenbacher
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Katie Fehrenbacher
Katie Fehrenbacher
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 30, 2016, 2:07 PM ET
SWEDEN-FACEBOOK-DATA-CENTER-SERVERS
This picture taken with a fisheye lens shows thousands of servers at the new Facebook Data Center, its first outside the US on November 7, 2013 in Lulea, in Swedish Lapland. The company began construction on the facility in October 2011 and went live on June 12, 2013 and are 100% run on hydro power. AFP PHOTO/JONATHAN NACKSTRAND (Photo credit should read JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images)Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images

Google just closed on a deal to buy a significant amount of clean energy from two new wind farms that will be built in Norway and Sweden to help power its data centers in Europe.

With this latest deal, Google now has purchased over 2.5 gigawatts of clean energy from around the world to help power its infrastructure that runs its computing services like search, advertising, and cloud computing. That’s the same amount of energy as that produced by two large nuclear plants.

Google (GOOG) has a goal to power all of its operations with clean energy. The search engine giant did its first clean energy deal (called a power purchase agreement) back in 2010 with a wind farm in Iowa.

A big energy customer like Google can help a wind or solar farm get built by committing to buy the power in the planning process. Google has played an important role as an early and large customer willing to purchase major amounts of clean energy.

The two new wind farms announced on Wednesday will be constructed over the coming year near Stavanger, Norway and near Mariestad and Töreboda in Sweden. Together, the two wind farms will use 72 turbines and produce 236 megawatts of clean energy, or about a quarter of the capacity of a large gas or coal plant.

Google isn’t the only Internet giant that’s been focused on using clean energy for its data centers. Apple (AAPL), Facebook (FB), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), and others have increasingly been buying wind and solar power to run buildings and data centers.

For more on solar energy, watch:

The world’s largest Internet companies are looking to clean power as a way to lower their carbon emissions, control (or even lower) their energy costs, and adopt more environmental practices. Data centers, which are filled with always-on computers, consume a lot of energy, or about 2% of the electricity in the United States.

Apple has also aggressively been working with solar companies to build large solar farms to power its infrastructure. The iPhone maker has solar farms, or is building solar farms, to power its operations in North Carolina, Nevada, Arizona, and California.

In addition to clean energy, Internet giants are also making sure that their data centers are using energy as efficiently as possible. Part of that is because the more energy used, the bigger the energy bill is for these companies.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

The big players like Google and Apple are adopting energy software, using outside air for cooling data centers (instead of power hungry air conditioners), and using servers that can power down when not in use. A report released this week found that the biggest Internet companies are actually doing a pretty good job making their data centers as efficient as possible.

About the Author
By Katie Fehrenbacher
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Putin presides over Russia’s Victory Day parade without tanks, missiles and other heavy equipment due to threat of Ukrainian long-range drones
PoliticsRussia
Putin presides over Russia’s Victory Day parade without tanks, missiles and other heavy equipment due to threat of Ukrainian long-range drones
By The Associated PressMay 9, 2026
1 hour ago
Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy’s Mideast HQ, arrests dozens with alleged links to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard
PoliticsIran
Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy’s Mideast HQ, arrests dozens with alleged links to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard
By Adam Schreck, Samy Magdy and The Associated PressMay 9, 2026
1 hour ago
Pedestrian who jumped Denver airport fence dies after being hit by Frontier Airlines plane, sparking an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate
North AmericaAirline industry
Pedestrian who jumped Denver airport fence dies after being hit by Frontier Airlines plane, sparking an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate
By The Associated PressMay 9, 2026
2 hours ago
As hantavirus outbreak unfolds, the CDC is missing in action, experts say. ‘I’m very sorry to say that we are not prepared’
PoliticsHealth
As hantavirus outbreak unfolds, the CDC is missing in action, experts say. ‘I’m very sorry to say that we are not prepared’
By Mike Stobbe and The Associated PressMay 9, 2026
2 hours ago
UFO files show Buzz Aldrin saw a ‘sizeable’ object close to the moon and a ‘fairly bright light source’ that the Apollo 11 crew felt could be a laser
Innovationspace
UFO files show Buzz Aldrin saw a ‘sizeable’ object close to the moon and a ‘fairly bright light source’ that the Apollo 11 crew felt could be a laser
By Seung Min Kim, Collin Binkley and The Associated PressMay 9, 2026
2 hours ago
Photo of Zak Brown
SuccessSports
Before the McLaren CEO got a $50 million payday from his team’s F1 championship, he was a high-school dropout who got his start on Wheel of Fortune
By Sasha RogelbergMay 9, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

California farmers must destroy 420,000 peach trees after Del Monte closes its canneries and cancels more than $550 million in long-term contracts
North America
California farmers must destroy 420,000 peach trees after Del Monte closes its canneries and cancels more than $550 million in long-term contracts
By Sasha RogelbergMay 7, 2026
2 days ago
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
Magazine
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
By Sharon GoldmanMay 6, 2026
3 days ago
'Blue dot fever' plagues musicians like Post Malone, Meghan Trainor, and Zayn as a growing list of artists cancel tours due to lagging ticket sales
Arts & Entertainment
'Blue dot fever' plagues musicians like Post Malone, Meghan Trainor, and Zayn as a growing list of artists cancel tours due to lagging ticket sales
By Dave Lozo and Morning BrewMay 7, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 8, 2026
1 day ago
The CEO of Maersk, which ships 14% of everything you buy, said the Iran war is adding $500 million in monthly costs it's trying not to pass down
Energy
The CEO of Maersk, which ships 14% of everything you buy, said the Iran war is adding $500 million in monthly costs it's trying not to pass down
By Sasha RogelbergMay 8, 2026
24 hours ago
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky warns two types of people won’t survive the AI era: ‘pure people managers’ and workers who resist change
Success
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky warns two types of people won’t survive the AI era: ‘pure people managers’ and workers who resist change
By Emma BurleighMay 7, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.