Google's AI buildout pushed electricity use up 37% in 2025

Key takeaway

• Google's AI expansion drove a 37% jump in electricity consumption in 2025, the company disclosed in its sustainability report.

• To manage this growth, Google signed renewable energy agreements totaling 12 gigawatts—its largest annual commitment—but faces a credibility gap: its long-standing claim of 100% renewable matching masks continued reliance on fossil fuels in local grids.

• The company is now pursuing a stricter '24/7 carbon-free energy' standard and investing in nuclear, fusion, and geothermal technologies, though planned natural gas plants for new data centers signal reliance on conventional fuels remains part of its near-term strategy.

3 Key Points

FAQ

How has Google's renewable energy purchasing changed?

In 2025, Google signed purchase agreements for 12 gigawatts of net-new clean energy, representing the largest annual total in the company's history. Between 2010 and 2025, Google's sustainability investments (exceeding $3.8 billion（約6100億円）) are expected to bring 7.5 gigawatts of clean energy online.

Why is Google shifting to '24/7 carbon-free energy'?

Google acknowledged that matching 100% of electricity consumption with renewable energy purchases—its practice for nine years—does not guarantee fossil fuels are not used in local power grids. The new '24/7 carbon-free energy ambition' uses certificates representing hourly and local matches for clean energy to provide more granular accounting.

What role will natural gas play in Google's data centers?

Google's $40 billion（約6.4兆円） Texas data center investment includes a campus potentially powered by a 933-megawatt natural gas power plant without carbon capture technology, which could produce 4.5 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. Google has not yet signed an agreement for how much power its data center would draw from the natural gas plant.