Microsoft Azure's New Zealand data center powered by 100 percent renewable energy

Microsoft recently announced that its data center region in New Zealand (specific location not yet disclosed), will be powered by 100 percent renewable electricity due to a partnership with Ecotricity, a sustainable electricity retailer. This means that the region will use solar, wind, and hydro sources to power its facilities in another step toward its overall sustainability goals of matching 100% of its electricity consumption with renewable energy purchases globally by 2030.

Speaking about how this move fits in with its overall goals, Brett Shoemaker, director of sustainability at Microsoft ANZ, commented: “This is why Microsoft is so committed to changing the way we power our data centers and would encourage others to do the same.”

Adding: “But we also recognize it’s hard to leap straight from today’s power generation model to a completely decarbonized electricity grid. We all need to make a transition, which will involve strategic investments and changes in procurement practices.”

In its announcement about its switch to green energy, the company also referenced a 2018 research they commissioned WSP, an engineering services business, to conduct, which outlined that using the Microsoft Azure cloud platform can be “up to 93 percent more energy efficient” and “98 percent more carbon efficient than on-premise solutions.” Likewise, the company reinstated its promise to stop using diesel fuel for its backup generators by 2030 and referenced the expansion of its collaboration with Climeworks, which specializes in carbon dioxide air capture technology.