Company Hits Clean Energy Milestone
Microsoft said it successfully matched all of its global electricity consumption with renewable energy purchases last year and pledged to maintain that target as it scales infrastructure to support artificial intelligence workloads.
The technology giant disclosed it has contracted 40 gigawatts of additional renewable capacity, primarily through long-term power purchase agreements designed to finance and accelerate new wind and solar projects. Of that total, 19 gigawatts have already been delivered into the grid, with the remaining capacity scheduled to come online over the next five years across 26 countries.
Noelle Walsh, Microsoft’s head of cloud operations, said the company intends to sustain full matching of electricity use even as demand rises. The comments were delivered at Microsoft’s large campus in West Dublin, home to the company’s first international data center built in 2009.
Nuclear to Play Larger Role
Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa said carbon-free electricity sources will increasingly support the company’s long-term targets. In 2024, Microsoft signed an agreement with Constellation Energy to help restart a nuclear facility in Pennsylvania, part of its broader strategy to expand non-fossil power supplies.
Microsoft aims to become carbon negative by 2030, meaning it would remove more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits. Meeting its 100% clean energy matching commitment is central to that objective.
$50 Billion Push for AI Infrastructure
Separately, the company confirmed it is on track to invest $50 billion by 2030 to expand artificial intelligence capabilities in countries across what it describes as the Global South. Most of the spending will fund cloud and AI-focused data centers.
The rapid buildout reflects surging power needs as AI applications scale. Major tech firms are increasing capital expenditures to secure electricity and computing resources needed to operate increasingly complex models.
Ireland Reopens Data Center Pipeline
In Ireland, a recent government decision to ease restrictions on data center grid connections is expected to unlock new development. Walsh described local demand as substantial, noting that regulatory clarity would enable Microsoft to move forward with previously delayed expansion plans outside Dublin.
Eoin Doherty, Microsoft’s cloud operations lead for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said upcoming rules requiring new data centers to source at least 80% of their annual consumption from additional renewable capacity will take effect next month. The company intends to comply with the framework as projects resume.
Data centers represented 22% of Ireland’s total electricity usage in 2024, underscoring the growing strain digital infrastructure places on national grids.
