Smart Energy Voices - Episode 111

Episode 111: Google’s Climate Journey – Decarbonization Within Reach

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The 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Goal

Google's 24/7 CFE goal is straightforward — to match its electricity consumption with carbon-free electricity in every grid where it operates, for every hour of the day by 2030.

This goes beyond offsetting annual energy use with renewable energy credits — it also aims to ensure that Google's energy use is truly clean at all times, regardless of location or time of day.

Time-Based Energy Attribute Certificates (T-EACs)

To achieve its 24/7 CFE goal, Google needed a tool to verify its clean energy matching claims on an hourly and local basis, which led to the creation and implementation of Time-Based Energy Attribute Certificates (T-EACs).

Google collaborated with registry M-RETS and software provider FlexiDAO to pilot T-EACs for their operations, starting in Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands. They also worked with EnergyTag to create the first international standard for hourly energy matching.

T-EACs can incentivize energy purchases that add new clean energy to the grid when and where it's needed most, while improving transparency into the clean energy market.

Google’s Load Flexibility and Demand Response

Another solution Google has implemented is load flexibility and demand response in data centers. Through this approach, Google is reducing its own carbon emissions and making the grid more efficient and reliable by moving computing tasks and energy use to times when carbon-free energy is available.

Savannah wishes for wider participation in demand response programs and encourages other data center companies, whether industrial or commercial, to adopt similar practices.

Google's Net Zero Goal

While continuing to focus on achieving its 24/7 CFE goal, Google is also working toward reaching net zero emissions by 2030, including cutting down on emissions across its whole value chain, supply chain and operations.

Google and all corporations stand to gain from a cleaner, more sustainable future, which the tech giant is helping to create. Every day, more and more businesses are joining the movement to make carbon-free energy more accessible.

Connect with Savannah Goodman

• On LinkedIn

Savannah Goodman leads the team that incubates data and software solutions to enable Google and our partners to meet ambitious climate targets, including Net Zero and 24/7 Carbon-free energy by 2030. Her ultimate goal is to accelerate system-level grid decarbonization. In addition to incubating new solutions, her team spearheads technical ecosystem development and thought leadership, as well as drives strategic direction and expertise across Google.