Google’s Journey Towards Carbon-Free Data Centres

Tech giant Google is currently working towards powering all of its data centres with carbon-free energy 24/7 by 2030. 

The company started strong in 2024 as it pledged billions of dollars to build and run data centres in various locations around the world. This included a new facility in the UK just outside of London designed to bolster AI growth.

However, the company was recently blocked from building a new data centre close to Dublin in Ireland due to a potential inability to meet sustainability requirements. Google’s application was supposedly rejected due to the local grid in Ireland not being equipped to deal with another data centre hungry for energy.

This has inevitably raised concerns over whether it is possible to make carbon-hungry AI and data centres sustainable.

Sustainable data centres: Google’s journey so far

Google released its 2024 Environmental Report over the summer which revealed its overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions had swollen by 13% in just one year. This has been attributed to AI and data centre energy consumption and supply chain emissions.

Google CSO Kate Brandt and Benedict Gomes, SVP, Learning & Sustainability, said in the report: ”In spite of the progress we are making, we face significant challenges that we’re actively working through.”

They added: “A sustainable future requires systems-level change, strong government policies and new technologies. We’re committed to collaboration and playing our part, every step of the way.”

In 2023, Google’s total data centre electricity consumption grew by 17%, despite the organisation maintaining a 100% global renewable energy match.

The company has since halted plans to develop new data centre facilities, including the aforementioned Dublin facility and a new US$200m site in Chile in the wake of environmental concerns. 

A statement from Google said: “A new process will start from scratch… Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and the way we design and manage our data centres is no exception.”

Data centres are incredibly power-hungry and often use large volumes of water. As energy concerns and climate change worries continue to rise, it is expected that the construction of data centres will be debated moving forward. 

Confronting the future impact of AI 

Part of Google’s response is to achieve its net zero emissions goal across all of its operations and value chain by 2030. This involves reducing 50% of its combined Scope 1, 2 and 3 absolute emissions by 2030, with Google eager to invest in nature-based and technology-based carbon removal solutions to neutralise its remaining emissions.

This goal is supported by an ambitious clean energy goal to operate its data centres on total carbon-free energy including solar and wind power.

Data centres have been the subject of much debate in recent weeks, with environmental concerns rising around the world as more people look to house their data. With nations like the UK declaring data centres as critical national infrastructure, data centres continue to have a growing role across modern digital economies. 

Whilst these facilities are essential to powering the modern world, largely on account of AI, ensuring that they are developed sustainably and safely is becoming increasingly vital. 

Whilst Google seeks to find a solution to this growing issue, it is eager to continue powering the digital transition with its infrastructure. 

Kate and Benedict also cited in the report: “We expect this trend to continue in the future, but we see our growing infrastructure as an opportunity to drive the innovations and investments needed to power a low-carbon economy.”

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