Against the backdrop of the increasing importance of renewable energy, Google has announced an unprecedented partnership plan to establish a new data center in the United States, primarily powered by solar and wind energy.
This collaboration involves the energy company Intersect Power and the investment firm TPG Rise Climate, with a planned investment of $20 billion across multiple "industrial parks," expected to be completed over the next decade. The first data center is anticipated to partially commence operations in 2026 and be fully completed by 2027.
This partnership is expected to fundamentally change the construction and operation model of data centers. In recent years, with the development of artificial intelligence, the demand for electricity in data centers has been increasing. However, the current electricity structure in the U.S. is still primarily based on fossil fuels, and new data centers often contribute to pollution when connecting to the grid. By directly connecting with renewable energy power plants, Google can bypass this issue and achieve a clean energy supply.
Amanda Peterson Corio, Google's Global Data Center Energy Lead, stated at a press conference: "To unlock the potential of artificial intelligence, we must meet the growing electricity demand with new clean power sources. The scale of AI gives us an opportunity to rethink the development of data centers." Currently, Google and Intersect have not disclosed specific construction scales and are still discussing the number and locations of data centers and renewable energy stations.
Shelton Kimball, CEO of Intersect Power, pointed out that the industry needs to shift its mindset and adopt an "electricity-first" approach to planning data centers. He emphasized that building data centers in areas rich in renewable energy is essential to effectively address electricity supply issues. Currently, many data centers are concentrated in regions with relatively scarce electricity resources, such as Virginia's "data center corridor," where about 70% of internet traffic passes through. However, due to the rising demand for electricity, the lifespan of aging coal power plants has been extended, raising concerns about the impact of data centers on climate change and air quality.
With the implementation of Google's new strategy, the construction and electricity supply methods for data centers are expected to usher in a new turning point, contributing to the development of green technology.
Key Points 🌱 Google plans to collaborate with Intersect Power and TPG Rise Climate, investing $20 billion to build renewable energy-driven data centers.
⚡️ The new data centers will directly connect to solar and wind power plants, aiming to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
🌍 This partnership will promote the relocation of data centers to areas rich in renewable energy, reducing environmental impact.