Google to invest in 5 Danish solar parks

Against the backdrop of “Fridays for future” climate demonstrations around the world, Google is stepping up in support of the climate agenda with historic investments in renewable energy around the world, including 5 solar parks in Denmark.

Google’s investment in solar and wind energy now totals to around $ 7 billion. dollars so far.

The new deal, which according to Google, is one of the largest renewable energy investments ever made, has a total output of 1600 MW. Denmark is set to produce one-tenth of this power, as Google has invested in 5 solar parks located in Mors, Gimming near Randers, Rødby Fjord near Norddjurs and in Nætved.

“A company like Google uses a lot of energy because we keep the internet running 24/7. Therefore, we feel a huge responsibility in being as sustainable as we possibly can” said Google’s CEO Malou Aamund in a press release.

Google is also investing in renewable energy projects in USA, Sweden, Finland and Belgium.

To counter Googles Danish data center energy use, the IT giant is set to establish the five Danish solar parks. This is not a new practice for a hyperscale company in their efforts to “greening the cloud”. The company Better Energy, is set to establish the three parks in Næstved, Norddjurs and Gimming.

The growth of renewable energy capacity is contributing to lower technology and installation costs, and better integration with existing transmission networks.

Furthermore, the cost of renewable electricity generation is being reduced to a level that in many developed and developing countries are competitive with conventional electricity sources. For example, corporate PPA structures are now a common practice in the data center landscape, as hyperscalers lead the way in renewable energy production when they offset their carbon footprint by “giving back” to the climate. A PPA is a long term buying commitment which helps the developer’s ability to finance power plants and promotes investment in renewables and the transition towards green energy.

As data center capacity continues to grow, investments like these show how the data center (and its business) can contribute to the green transition, both in Denmark and globally. From a domestic standpoint, the investment will not only expand our energy network infrastructure, but also boost sector jobs and the economy overall.

The green data center of the future does not only run efficiently, but is also contributing to the sustainability cause within the host community. Integrating the data center into our energy networks, moving away from being an energy consumer, to a “prosumer” is the way forward for the both the industry and our climate.

Thank you to Google for this significant investment, we look forward to the solar park developments, which will undoubtedly bring forward growth for the Danish economy and further our sustainability cause.

DDI

Read Google’s own blog post