Tech giant Microsoft announced today the launch of a new sustainable datacenter region in Sweden, enabling businesses to host their cloud workloads in Microsoft’s Swedish datacenters powered by 100% carbon-free energy. The region includes 3 data centers, located in Gävle, Sandviken and Staffanstorp.
The launch of the new datacenter region follows a series of climate-focused commitments made by Microsoft earlier this year including new targets to ramp the company’s use of clean energy, including the company’s “100/100/0” vision to have 100% of its electricity consumption, 100% percent of the time, matched by purchases from zero carbon energy sources , adding to the company’s prior commitment to use 100% renewable energy in its buildings and datacenters globally by 2025. Microsoft also announced the broad rollout of a dashboard enabling cloud users to measure the impact of their cloud usage.
Microsoft state that its new datacenter region in Sweden is committed to cutting carbon emissions, achieving zero waste certification, and running on 100% carbon-free energy, through an 24/7 energy matching partnership with electricity provider Vattenfall. Microsoft and Vattenfall announced the collaboration last year, after piloting 24/7 solution, designed to match production and consumption of renewable energy over short time increments, enabling more complete use of renewables by companies, and providing better transparency regarding energy use and climate impact.
Microsoft also announced that it has signed agreements for new renewable energy projects with several companies including bp, Enlight Renewable Energy, European Energy, NTR, Prime Capital and wpd.
The company said that it is pursuing Leadership in Energy and EnvironmentalEnvironmental criteria consider how a company performs as a steward of nature. Design (LEED) Gold certification for the region, targeting conservation of resources like energy and water, while generating less waste and supporting health. Additional sustainability features of the datacenter region include the repurposing of servers and hardware, supporting water positive goals through cooling servers using only outside air and capturing rainwater, and utilizing backup generators run on Nordic Eco-labeled fuel, which contains at least 50% renewable raw material.
Hélène Barnekow, general manager Microsoft Sweden said:
“Our Swedish datacenters are among the most sustainably designed and operated in the world. This is an important launch for Sweden and Europe, as I am of the firm conviction that new tech innovation is the most important enabler for the world to reach the global sustainability targets. By moving to the cloud, we create new opportunities to accelerate the transformation to a more sustainable future – together.”
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