An aerial view reveals the mutual benefits of combining solar energy production and agricultural land use. Farmers can lease their land to solar developers, diversifying their income sources while maintaining agricultural activities in the remaining areas. This symbiotic relationship supports sustainable development by reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and promoting the adoption of renewable energy.
Xie Wei | E+ | Getty Images
Google US tech giant Amazon said Monday it will partner with BlackRock to develop a 1 gigawatt pipeline of new solar power in Taiwan, as it seeks to boost its energy capacity and cut carbon emissions amid an artificial intelligence boom.
Under the deal, Google will invest capital, which has not yet been approved by regulators, in Taiwanese solar developer New Green Power “to facilitate the construction of a large-scale solar pipeline.”
Google did not disclose the size of its investment in New Green Power, a subsidiary of BlackRock.
The company said the investment will boost clean energy on Taiwan's local power grid and help Google achieve its goal of achieving net-zero emissions across all its operations and value chain by 2030.
The new solar capacity will help power Google's data centers and cloud region in Taiwan, the press release said. Some of the clean energy capacity will also be provided to Google's chip suppliers and manufacturers in the region, it added.
“We expect to purchase up to 300 (megawatts) of solar power from this line through power purchase agreements and associated energy attribute certificates (Taiwan Renewable Energy Certificates or T-RECS) to help meet electricity demand from our data center campus, cloud region and office operations in Taiwan,” Amanda Peterson Curio, Google’s head of global data center energy, said in a blog post on Monday.
Taiwan produces nearly 60% of the world's semiconductor chips and accounts for a larger share of advanced AI processors, according to global consulting firm EY. Chip manufacturing facilities are among the most energy-intensive in the world because manufacturing chips is a long and complex process.
However, about 97% of Taiwan's energy is generated from non-renewable sources, including coal and natural gas, according to data from the Energy Department of Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs.
This calls for the need to promote renewable energy sources.
“As we see demand for digital services, powered by AI and data technologies, it becomes imperative to invest in clean energy,” said David Giordano, head of global climate infrastructure at BlackRock.
Singapore said in May that it was seeking to establish environmentally friendly data centres, as growing demand for artificial intelligence puts pressure on energy resources. The government said the aim is to provide at least 300MW of additional capacity in the near term, with more through “green energy deployment”.
Renewable energy development in the Asia-Pacific region is growing strongly, but from a low base, a Boston Consulting Group report showed on April 23. By 2030, renewable energy is expected to account for 30% to 50% of the energy mix in most markets in the region, the report said, adding that “significant investment” is needed.
