Google announced two new solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Japan, its first in the country, supporting the construction of new solar projects that will add 60 MW of clean energy capacity to the Japanese grid.
According to Google, the new agreement will contribute to its commitment to power all its operations on 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) by 2030. Google parent Alphabet announced a 24/7 CFE ambition in 2020, aiming to run its entire business on carbon-free energy by 2030. Operating on 24/7 CFE means matching electricity demand with CFE supply every hour of every day, in every region where the company operates. The new clean energy deals follow the opening by Google last year of its first data center in Japan, located in Inzai City, Chiba prefecture.
The new PPAs include an agreement with Itochu Corporation partner Clean Energy Connect for a new project consisting of approximately 800 small-scale solar plants across multiple grid regions in Japan, addressing the challenge of limited land availability for large-scale solar projects in the country. Additionally, Google announced a PPA with Shizen Energy focused on the development of a 20 MW utility-scale solar project, located on the same power grid as Google’s new Inzai City data center.
In a post announcing the new renewable energy agreements, Google Japan VP Shinji Okuyama said:
“Signing these PPAs is just the beginning of our decarbonization journey in Japan. We aim to continue our efforts in the region by collaborating with local partners and exploring even more innovative solutions to accelerate the country’s clean energy transition.”