Cloud giant
Microsoft and power generation company GE have formed a partnership on wind power from Ireland. Microsoft is a major player in the energy hungry cloud sector, with key cloud-based offerings like Azure and Office365. Its agreement with GE is intended to support the growth of Microsoft's cloud computing services in Ireland and covers a period of 15 years. It will see GE provide Microsoft with 100% of the electricity generated by its new wind farm in Tullahennel, County Kerry, Ireland.
GE's 37-megawatt wind farm is located on the south west cost of Ireland. According to reports in the Financial Times, Microsoft has acquired a license that allows it to sell surplus electricity onto the Irish National Grid. The deal between the two organizations will also include a energy storage data production project that will see wind turbines fitted with a battery. This will enable the companies to establish how well batteries store energy before delivering excess energy to the Grid.
"Microsoft is proud to be deepening our long history of investment and partnership in Ireland with this agreement," explained Microsoft's General Manager, Datacenter Strategy, Christian Belady. "Our commitment will help bring new, clean energy to the Irish grid, and contains innovative elements that have the potential to grow the capacity, reliability and capability of the grid. This will make it easier to incorporate new clean power sources like wind energy, and that is good for the environment, for Ireland and for our company."
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