Refreshing our commitment to renewable energy in the Netherlands

Google has joined forces with three leading Dutch companies — AkzoNobel, DSM and Philips — to jointly source power from renewable energy projects in the Netherlands. Our first agreement is to buy power from a new wind farm initiative established by a new community-owned cooperative of 4000 people in Zeeland called Windpark Krammer. With this investment, we’ll be positioned to power even more of our European operations with renewable energy, following on the heels of our news from the Nordics in June.

This new agreement also marks the first time Google has teamed up with local citizens to create what is effectively a consumer-to-business energy partnership. Together the four companies have agreed to source a total of 0.35 TWh per year from Windpark Krammer when it becomes operational in 2019. The agreement is both crucial for the funding of the wind park and for the sustainable ambitions of all four companies.

Our Dutch datacenter will run on 100% renewable energy

We are committed to powering 100% of our global datacenter operations with clean energy, and in the Netherlands, this is the second renewable energy purchase commitment Google has made. In 2014, we announced that Google would purchase all of the energy output from a new wind park in Delfzijl. Thanks to this agreement 19 new wind turbines have been built and our datacenter in Eemshaven will run on 100% renewable energy from the day it opens later this year.

Long-term collaboration

The four companies in the consortium have spent worthwhile time putting their effort into working together to exploring market opportunities. Our partnership represents a new approach in the Netherlands in which corporations join hands to enter jointly into a renewable Power Purchase Agreement.

Largest purchaser of renewable energy…and helping others do the same

The new collaboration fits into Google’s goal to help power the world with clean energy. So far we have committed to purchase nearly 2.5 gigawatts of renewable energy — equivalent to taking over 1 million cars off the road and making us the largest non-utility purchaser of renewable energy in the world.

Separately, we've committed to invest nearly $2.5 billion in renewable energy projects globally, which makes us one of the largest corporate investors in renewable energy in the world. We believe that through these two initiatives, we're creating a better future for everyone. Having reached these impressive milestones, we’re very excited to help other companies green their own footprints as we are doing with ours.