Microsoft Begins Using Eco-Diesel in Data Center Generators

Ahead of its 2030 goal of eliminating its reliance on diesel fuel for backup power, Microsoft has announced that it would be the first to use a lower carbon renewable fuel for backup power in its Sweden datacenter region. Microsoft’s backup generators in the Sweden region will run on Preem Evolution Diesel Plus. This fuel contains at least 50 percent renewable raw material.

To make this happen, Microsoft had to collaborate with Preem and Caterpillar to ensure that the Preem Evolution Diesel Plus offers the same performance as the traditional fuels while emitting less carbon dioxide. Noelle Walsh, VP for Cloud Operations and Innovation at Microsoft, commented that the use of this eco-friendly diesel is a step on the right path towards commercial and technological innovations necessary for 100% renewable synthetic fuels for decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries.