Google has unveiled an ambitious $20 billion plan to develop renewable energy infrastructure to power its expanding artificial intelligence operations, marking one of the largest corporate investments in clean energy to date.
The tech giant announced Tuesday it has partnered with renewable developer Intersect Power and investment fund TPG Rise Climate to construct massive wind and solar facilities paired with battery storage systems. The initiative aims to match new data centers with equivalent renewable power generation.
Under the deal, Google will also make an $800 million equity investment in Intersect Power, alongside TPG, CAI, and Greenbelt Capital Partners.
The rapid expansion of AI capabilities has triggered unprecedented demand for computing power. Industry experts warn that by 2027, existing power infrastructure may be insufficient to support new AI data centers, pushing tech companies to secure additional energy sources.
The project's innovative design pairs each gigawatt-scale data center with matching wind and solar capacity, plus battery storage able to provide 2-4 hours of backup power. Both the data centers and renewable facilities will connect to the same grid points, with Google covering necessary grid upgrades.
This approach aims to accelerate the typically lengthy grid connection process. Currently, over 11,800 power producers are waiting to connect to the U.S. grid, representing more than 2 terawatts of capacity - primarily from solar and battery projects.
The initiative will roll out in phases, with initial operations beginning in 2026 and full completion targeted for 2027. This aggressive timeline demonstrates the speed advantage of renewable deployment compared to nuclear alternatives - Google's nuclear partnership with Kairos isn't expected to deliver power until 2030, while similar projects face uncertain completion dates.
By investing heavily in renewable infrastructure, Google is taking proactive steps to ensure reliable power for its expanding AI operations while advancing its clean energy goals. The scale and speed of this initiative could set new precedents for how tech companies approach their growing energy needs in the AI era.