Microsoft Commits to Maintaining 100% Renewable Energy Match After Reaching Goal

Microsoft achieved its target of matching all electricity consumption with renewable energy purchases one year ahead of schedule. The tech giant plans to maintain this 100% renewable energy commitment while investing $50 billion in AI expansion through 2030.

Microsoft announced Wednesday it will continue purchasing renewable energy equivalent to all its power consumption after successfully achieving this milestone in 2023, three years ahead of its original 2025 target.

The technology company accomplished this environmental goal by securing contracts for 40 gigawatts of clean energy capacity, primarily through long-term power purchase agreements that help utilities develop new renewable projects.

According to Microsoft, 19 gigawatts of this contracted renewable energy is already feeding into electrical grids, with the remaining capacity expected to come online over the next five years across 26 nations worldwide.

“As we continue to grow we want to maintain that 100%,” said Noelle Walsh, Microsoft’s cloud operations chief, speaking from the company’s West Dublin facility where it established its first international data center in 2009.

Melanie Nakagawa, Microsoft’s Chief Sustainability Officer, explained to Reuters that carbon-free power sources will become increasingly important for maintaining the complete renewable energy match through 2030. She pointed to Microsoft’s 2024 agreement with Constellation Energy to revive a Pennsylvania nuclear facility as an example of this strategy, which supports the company’s goal of becoming carbon negative by decade’s end.

The software giant simultaneously revealed plans for a massive $50 billion investment by 2030 to bring artificial intelligence capabilities to developing nations, with most funding directed toward building cloud computing and AI data centers.

Walsh noted that Ireland’s recent decision to end restrictions on new data center grid connections will help Microsoft address significant unmet demand in the technology-focused nation.

Microsoft anticipates moving forward with previously delayed data center development plans near Dublin once new regulations take effect next month requiring facilities to source at least 80% of their annual power needs from additional renewable sources, according to Eoin Doherty, the company’s EMEA cloud operations director.

Data centers consumed 22% of Ireland’s total electricity in 2024.