Google’s Environmental Report: Progress, Setbacks, Commitment to ‘Powering AI With Clean Energy’

Google has tied the future of artificial intelligence to its climate strategy, announcing a commitment to “powering AI with clean energy” as electricity demands soar across its global infrastructure.

Its 10th annual Environmental Report shows a 12% drop in data center emissions in 2024, even as electricity use climbed by 27%. The company attributes this progress to long-term clean energy deals and efficiency upgrades aimed at keeping its AI expansion on a lower-carbon path.

Inside Google’s latest environmental progress

The latest figures show that Google significantly expanded its clean energy footprint in 2024, securing the largest volume of new procurement deals in the company’s history. The 8 gigawatts of newly signed capacity, twice the amount from the previous year, were matched by the arrival of 2.5 gigawatts from earlier contracts now supplying electricity to its global operations.

The AI company also reported progress in regional energy performance. Nine of its grid regions surpassed 80% carbon-free electricity, with the global average reaching 66%. These improvements came alongside increased efforts to balance demand across grids through smarter load shifting and localized sourcing.

Efficiency gains extended to hardware. Google’s newest chip design is 30 times more power-efficient than its original model from 2018. The company says five of its tools helped avoid 26 million metric tons of emissions in 2024, more than double its operational footprint.

Setbacks in emissions and energy progress

While Google made notable operational strides, its total climate impact still increased in 2024. The report also points to several areas where emissions rose or progress slowed.

Total emissions increased, driven by growth in construction, manufacturing, and third-party operations.

Scope 3 emissions, largely from suppliers and hardware production, rose by 22% year over year.

Asia-Pacific remained far behind, with just 12% of electricity matched with carbon-free sources, unchanged from the previous year.

Some grid regions saw stalled or declining progress, especially in markets with limited access to renewables.

Google eyes harder climate targets amid growth

Google’s rapid infrastructure growth is forcing the company to adjust its approach to climate and energy.

It plans to rely more heavily on next-generation sources, such as geothermal and small modular nuclear reactors, as well as new models for clean energy procurement, according to the report. It’s also expanding efforts to bring suppliers onto carbon-free electricity, particularly in markets like Asia, where the grid remains heavily fossil-powered.

Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt said Google is refining its approach to achieving its climate goals globally, while ensuring that AI development continues to benefit humanity.

AI’s energy cost remains an open question

The challenges outlined in Google’s latest report mirror industry-wide anxieties about AI’s environmental toll.

From Microsoft’s investment in rainforest offsets to UK public skepticism over AI’s climate impact, the industry is beginning to confront the environmental cost of scale. Meanwhile, data centers in drought-prone regions are drawing scrutiny for their water usage, and experts are calling for more transparency on AI’s footprint.

If artificial intelligence keeps accelerating, who’s making sure the planet keeps up?
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