More Solar Power For Google

Google’s renewable energy portfolio continues to grow, with more solar power purchase agreements recently announced in Taiwan and in the USA.

Yesterday the giant of search (and other stuff) said it had signed a PPA for the output of a 10MW solar array that will be part of a larger PV project in Tainan City, Taiwan. It marks Google’s first energy deal in Asia and the first deal of its kind since Taiwan’s Electricity Act was rejiggered to enable non-utility companies to buy renewable energy directly from generators.

“As the Taiwanese government pursues further measures to remove market barriers and reduce renewable energy costs, we’re hopeful that more companies will purchase renewable energy, driving even larger projects across Taiwan,” said Marsden Hanna, Senior Lead, Energy & Infrastructure at Google.

According to Power Technology, the Taiwanese Government has set a goal of 20% renewable energy by 2025 and also wants to phase out nuclear power.

The 40,000 solar panels earmarked for electricity generation for Google will be mounted on poles in ponds at an aquaculture facility. The developer of the project is Taiwan’s New Green Power.

TVA Solar PPA

Over to the USA now, where last week Google announced a deal with Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for 413MW of solar capacity (1.6 million solar panels¹) associated with PV facilities to be constructed in Hollywood, Alabama and Yum Yum (I kid you not), Tennessee.

The electricity generated will be purchased for two new Google data center campuses under construction – one in Tennessee and another in northern Alabama.

“Thanks to the abundant solar power generated by these new farms, electricity consumed by our data centers in Tennessee and Alabama will be matched with 100 percent renewable energy from day one, helping us match our annual electricity consumption as we grow,” said Google’s Amanda Corio.

In addition to its own on-site installations, Google says it has signed on to more than 30 solar and wind projects across the Americas and Europe since 2010. The company claims to be the world’s largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy.

In April last year the company stated its renewable energy purchases exceeded the amount of electricity used by its operations around the world in 2017, including Google offices and data centers.

Businesses large and small around the world are realising the benefits of solar energy, which extend well beyond green warm and fuzzies. In Australia, if a business can afford to pay its electricity bills, it can afford commercial solar power.