Together they will help other energy users to meet growing power demand both cleanly and reliably.
Meeting growing electricity demand sustainably
At the core of Google and NV Energy’s partnership is a new clean transition rate, also known as a Clean Transition Tariff (CTT). This can be replicated in many electricity markets across the US, Google says, and also supports Google’s goal of running data centres and office campuses on 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) by 2030.
Google’s initiative with NV Energy, the first of its kind, will overcome some of the limitations of power purchase agreements (PPAs), which is a common way companies secure clean energy alongside project developers.
This method, one that Google itself pioneered, often sees agreements isolated from broader grid planning and utility investments, and with them often being renewable in nature, not as reliable or readily available due to the variability of weather.
Google says that to achieve fully decarbonised electricity systems, additional technologies that provide clean power on demand — known as clean firm capacity — are essential.
Technologies such as enhanced geothermal, long-duration energy storage (LDES) and advanced nuclear power are promising but in the early stages of development, making them relatively expensive and not well-supported by existing regulatory structures. As a result, there is a continued reliance on fossil fuels for reliable power when solar and wind are insufficient.
Technologies such as enhanced geothermal, long-duration energy storage, and advanced nuclear power are promising but are currently in the early stages of development. They are relatively expensive and not well-supported by existing regulatory structures, leading to continued reliance on fossil fuels for reliable power when solar and wind are insufficient.
Doug Cannon, NV Energy’s President and CEO, said: “NV Energy and Google’s partnership to develop new solutions to bring clean, firm energy technology — like enhanced geothermal — onto Nevada’s grid at this scale is remarkable.