Google on Target to Go 100% Green

Google data centres to be 100% renewable-powered by 2017.

19:06 07 December 2016

Google is on target to fulfill its commitment to go 100per cent renewable by 2017. 

 

The company said in a blog that it is now the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the world. 

 

"Over the last six years, the cost of wind and solar came down 60% and 80% respectively, proving that renewables are increasingly becoming the lowest cost option," said Urs Holzle, senior vice president for technical infrastructure.

 

He added: "Since the wind doesn't blow 24 hours a day, we'll also broaden our purchases to a variety of energy sources that can enable renewable power, every hour of every day."

 

Google’s news comes at a time when the US President-elect Donald Trump is under pressure not to abandon the Paris climate deal. 

 

Google’s incentive for hitting its 2017 target is the US government’s tax incentives for firms that invest in clean energy. However, with incoming President Donald Trump seemingly dismissive of climate change, these incentives may no longer be on the table by 2017. 

 

Gary Demasi, the man in charge of Google's strategy for energy, said: "Incentives have been a valuable way, historically, of getting these projects built.” 

 

"The tax incentives still make a difference and they're still important. They are scheduled to decline over the next few years. We have been on record acknowledging that we're not concerned about that reduction - largely because the costs of the technology are coming down anyway."