In the age of escalating climate crises, our attention turns to industry giants and their strides in sustainability. High on this list is Google, a pioneer of corporate sustainability that’s now making substantial strides towards its 24/7 carbon-free energy goal.
Google’s latest environmental report, published on Monday (24 July), paints a promising picture. In 2022, Google facilities worldwide matched an average of 64% of their energy consumption with local renewables, inching closer to their ultimate ambition of operating on 24/7 carbon-free energy on every grid where they operate by 2030. This audacious goal aims to augment local grids with additional renewables capacity while also addressing transparency and credibility issues that can stem from purchasing clean electricity certificates.
Today we shared our 2023 Environmental Report. Learn more about how we’re operating our business more sustainably and helping you make better choices for a greener future ↓ https://t.co/RfuuHmhd8R
— Google (@Google) July 24, 2023
On the emissions front, Google reported a 10% reduction across all scopes despite the company’s continued growth. The bulk of Google’s climate footprint (75%) still comes from Scope 3 (indirect) emissions. In contrast, operational (Scope 1) emissions account for a mere 1%, with the remaining 24% being attributed to Google’s power usage (Scope 2).
The report adds, “Achieving 24/7 carbon-free energy is far more complex and technically challenging than annually matching our energy use with renewable energy purchases. No company of our size has achieved 24/7 CFE before, and there’s no playbook for making it happen. But we see our efforts as part of a bigger picture, and we’ve set this ambitious goal to help scale new, global solutions.”
Amid the positives, the journey to a 24/7 carbon-free energy future is not without its challenges. One such hurdle is the procurement of energy in regions like Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Nevada, and South Carolina, where the renewable energy proportion falls under 30%. Google also faced disruption to renewable energy supply chains and delays to grid connections for large projects in the past year, especially in the Asia-Pacific region and the eastern US.
Water sustainability remains a key challenge. Despite backing 38 water replenishment projects globally, the company’s freshwater consumption still hovered around 1.98 billion gallons in 2022.
As Google continues its sustainability journey, it serves as a testament to the potential for integrating renewable energy into large-scale operations. Their commitment to 24/7 carbon-free energy could be a game-changer, heralding a new era of corporate environmental responsibility.
Let’s hope other organizations can follow Google’s steps, keeping in mind that every region, every grid, and every water catchment is different and requires tailored solutions. As readers invested in a sustainable future, what’s your take on Google’s progress and the broader shift towards renewable energy in the tech industry? Leave your thoughts in the comments below—we’d love to hear your perspective.
