Renewable energy producer EDP Renewables (EDPR) announced a new 20-year agreement with Microsoft through which the tech giant will purchase 100% of the renewable energy exported to the grid through EDPR’s SolarNova 8, the largest solar project in Singapore.
Launched in 2014, Singapore’s SolarNova program is a government-led program aimed at accelerating the deployment of solar photovoltaic systems, and supporting Singapore’s target to deploy at least 2 GW of solar capacity by 2030.
EDPR announced earlier this year that it had been awarded Phase 8 of the SolarNova program, to install up to 200 MW of capacity across 1,075 Singapore public housing buildings and 101 government-owned buildings, marking the largest initiative under the government’s program, and the largest solar project in Singapore.
The announcement is the second agreement between the companies in Singapore, and follows a recent “Environmental Justice PPA” in the U.S. including Microsoft and EDPR earlier this year.
Miguel Stilwell D’Andrade, CEO of EDP Renewables, said:
“We are strengthening EDP’s global collaboration with Microsoft through this project and together we are taking a step towards achieving Singapore’s sustainability goals of at least 2GWp of solar energy by 2030. Contracting with Microsoft is a catalyst for accelerating the energy transition and to continue investing in the region.”
According to the companies, the new agreement will contribute to Microsoft’s goal to achieve 100% renewable energy. In 2021, Microsoft launched a “100/100/0 clean energy goal,” with the company targeting having 100% of its electricity consumption, 100% percent of the time, matched by purchases from zero carbon energy sources by 2030, adding to its prior commitment to use 100% renewable energy in its buildings and datacenters globally by 2025. Microsoft has also committed to become carbon negative by 2030, and to cover 100% of its electricity consumption in its buildings and datacenters globally with renewable energy by 2025.
Adrian Anderson GM, Renewables, Carbon Free Energy, Microsoft, said:
“Microsoft appreciates the global relationship that we’ve built with EDPR, enabling our companies to drive grid decarbonization efforts in Singapore, the US and Europe. Building our renewable energy portfolio with EDPR ensures that we can continue to secure renewable energy supply to meet our Microsoft’s ambitious renewable energy and decarbonization goals.”