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Our 2024 Environmental Report

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1

This calculation is based on internal data, as of May 2024.

2

“The Carbon Footprint of Machine Learning Training Will Plateau, Then Shrink,” Computer, vol. 55, July 2022.

3

According to Google’s own analysis of our more efficient servers, power infrastructure, and cooling systems, compared with data center industry averages based on 2023 data. Uptime Institute’s annual data center survey from 2023 noted that the primary contributor to the flatlining of the industry average PUE is a richer geographical mix of surveyed data centers, with an increasing number of data centers in the Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America regions. Facilities in these regions tend to be smaller in capacity and located in warmer climates—both factors which typically require greater energy consumption.

4

According to the Uptime Institute's 2023 Global Data Center Survey, the global average PUE of respondents’ data centers was around 1.58. The Institute noted that the primary contributor to the flatlining of the industry average PUE is a richer geographical mix of surveyed data centers, with an increasing number of data centers in the Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America regions. Facilities in these regions tend to be smaller in capacity and located in warmer climates—both factors which typically require greater energy consumption.

5

Reduce Carbon and Costs with the Power of AI,” Boston Consulting Group, January 2021.

6

Google uses an AI prediction model to estimate the expected fuel or energy consumption for each route option when users request driving directions. We identify the route that we predict will consume the least amount of fuel or energy. If this route is not already the fastest one and it offers meaningful energy and fuel savings with only a small increase in driving time, we recommend it to the user. To calculate enabled emissions reductions, we tally the fuel usage from the chosen fuel-efficient routes and subtract it from the predicted fuel consumption that would have occurred on the fastest route without fuel-efficient routing and apply adjustments for factors such as: CO2e factors, fleet mix factors, well-to-wheels factors, and powertrain mismatch factors. We then input the estimated prevented emissions into the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator to calculate equivalent cars off the road for a year. The cumulative figure covers estimated emissions prevented after fuel-efficient routing was launched, from October 2021 through December 2023, while the annual figure covers estimated emissions prevented from January 2023 through December 2023. Enabled emissions reductions estimates include inherent uncertainty due to factors that include the lack of primary data and precise information about real-world actions and their effects. These factors contribute to a range of possible outcomes, within which we report a central value.

7

The estimated population covered is based on the forecasted flood risk area, using the WorldPop Global Project Population dataset.

8

Reductions in stops estimates are based on early data points from Google’s analysis of traffic patterns before and after recommended adjustments to traffic signals that were implemented during tests conducted in 2022 and 2023. Emissions reductions estimates are modeled using a Department of Energy emissions model. A single fuel-based vehicle type is used as an approximation for all traffic, and it is not yet adjusted for local fleet mix. These data points are averaged from coordinated intersections, and are subject to variation based on existing scenarios. We expect these estimates to evolve over time and look forward to sharing continued results as we perform additional analysis.

9

Alphabet’s percentage of electricity purchased from renewable sources methodology is a custom calculation and is based on a global approach. Percentage of renewable energy is calculated on a calendar-year basis, dividing the volume of renewable electricity (in megawatt-hours) procured for our global operations (i.e., renewable energy procured through our PPA contracts, on-site renewable energy generation, and renewable energy in the electric grids where our facilities are located) by the total volume of electricity consumed by our global operations. The numerator includes all renewable energy procured, regardless of the market in which the renewable energy was consumed. Additional details on Alphabet's criteria and methodology can be found in the “Achieving Our 100% Renewable Energy Purchasing Goal and Going Beyond” disclosure.

10

A grid region (or regional grid) corresponds to the area over which a single entity manages the operation of the electric power system and ensures that demand and supply are finely balanced. In the United States, this generally means the ISO or RTO in regions that have these regional market structures. If no such structure exists, then Google defines the grid region as the electricity-balancing authority where our data centers are located. Outside of the United States, the grid region most often refers to the geographic boundary of a country, because most grid system operators operate at the national level. Certain regions that span multiple countries are well interconnected and could be considered as one grid; however, our grid mix calculations already include import and export considerations and therefore take into account power flows from neighboring grids. In the future, we may update our definition as we work with grid operators to better understand how transmission constraints or congestion impact CFE measurement within and across grid regions.

11

The total GW figure represents primarily PPAs, and includes some generation capacity from targeted renewable energy investments where we also receive EACs. Actual generation capacity may vary from the signed amounts based on changes during construction or project terminations.

12

The Google Renewable Energy Addendum applies to the electricity consumed by suppliers in the manufacturing of Google technical infrastructure and consumer hardware products.

13

We contracted a third-party to estimate replenishment benefits using the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) methodology (Reig et al., 2019).

14

Based on total weight of new Google Pixel and Fitbit retail packaging (excluding adhesive materials and required plastic stickers) as shipped by Google. To meet the request of some retail partners, stickers and/or security tags are applied to some packaging variations and may contain plastic.

15

Based on total weight of new Google Pixel retail packaging (excluding adhesive materials and required plastic stickers) as shipped by Google. To meet the request of some retail partners, stickers and/or security tags are applied to some packaging variations and may contain plastic.


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