Microsoft Inks Its First Clean Energy Deal In Asia With Solar Project

Microsoft has agreed to purchase all of the renewable energy output from a 60 megawatt (MW) solar project in its first clean energy agreement in Asia.

The technology giant's agreement with Sunseap Group, Singapore's largest provider of clean energy solutions, will last 20 years.

"With this agreement, Microsoft will improve the sustainability of our local operations and significantly advance our sustainability goals for data centers," said Kevin Wo, chief executive officer of Microsoft Singapore, in a statement.

The solar project, according to Microsoft, will be spread over hundreds of roofs across Singapore and will be the largest rooftop solar project to date.

In October 2017, Microsoft and General Electric (GE) entered into a 15-year power purchase agreement in Ireland. This agreement means that Microsoft will buy all the wind power generated in the new 37 MW GE Tullahennel wind farm in County Kerry. In November, the Swedish electricity company Vattenfall signed a ten-year agreement to strengthen Microsoft's international data center activities in the Netherlands using wind energy.

"We are well on our way to exceeding our goal of driving 50% of our global data centers with renewable energy this year," said Christian Belady, general manager of architecture and cloud infrastructure strategy for Microsoft. .

"Once the project is operational, the new solar project will bring to 860 megawatts Microsoft's global direct acquisition of renewable energy projects.