Microsoft has more than 20GWs of renewable energy under contract, the company revealed in a previously unreported job listing.
Yesterday, it was reported that Microsoft has more than 5GW of data center capacity in operation and expects to add 1GW of server power over the next six months, followed by 1.5GW of new data center capacity in the first half of 2025.
The company is also considering developing a $100 billion 'Stargate' supercomputer with OpenAI that could consume 5GW on its own when it reaches full capacity by 2030.
Renewable energy contracts can take years to develop and last even longer. Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) are often financing the development of a project, so long-term agreements - 10 years is not uncommon. For more on PPAs, read our explainer here.
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it would procure some 9.5GW of solar panels from Qcells for PPAs through 2032 - adding about 1.5GW every year.
DCD has exclusively reported on Microsoft's efforts to hire nuclear experts to build an SMR and microreactor strategy for its data centers. It has also signed a speculative energy agreement with Helion Energy to procure fusion power by 2028.
In the new job listing for a director of asset management to join the energy team, it also noted Microsoft's "rapidly growing fleet of contracted CDR projects." The company has invested heavily in carbon dioxide removal, as part of a pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030 and carbon negative in the years after.
"With more than 20 GWs of renewable energy under contract and a rapidly growing fleet of contracted CDR projects the scope and impact of leading this team is critical to meeting Microsoft’s sustainability goals," the job posting said.
Microsoft has paid ClimeWorks to remove 11,400 metric tons of carbon, Running Tide to remove 12,000 tons, Carbon Streaming to remove 10,000 tons annually, and Heirloom to remove some 300,000 tons. It has also patented the idea of running carbon capture at data center sites.
The company has also filed a patent application for a “carbon capture system" using data center waste heat.
DCD exclusively reported yesterday that Alphabet's X and Meta are also exploring direct air capture at their data centers.
