Environmental Groups Urge Microsoft to Skip Gas in Favor of Solar & Wind to Power Data Center

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A coalition of environmental and well being teams has referred to as on Microsoft to depend on clear vitality technology as an alternative of a proposed growth of methane-fueled energy for its deliberate Racine County knowledge heart — projected to turn into Wisconsin Electrical’s “largest electric load.”

In an open letter to Microsoftthe teams cost that the plan underway by We Energies to construct new methane gasoline energy vegetation  “will push our state’s climate goals out of reach, locking us into 30 more years of fossil fuels at a time when we all know we must rapidly transition to clean energy.”

We Energies defended its plan Thursday, calling the gasoline vegetation a necessary transition step as the corporate expands its clear vitality portfolio.

Microsoft’s choice to construct a man-made intelligence knowledge heart in Mount Nice has been highlighted as a Wisconsin financial improvement success story, however alongside that has come a rising consciousness concerning the heavy demand that knowledge facilities and AI make for electrical energy.

In testimony to the state Public Service Fee supporting a proposed charge enhance to pay for the price of expanded methane energy technology, a Microsoft guide stated the information heart is anticipated “to become the largest electric load” served by Wisconsin Electrical, the Milwaukee Enterprise Journal reported. Wisconsin Electrical is a subsidiary of We Energies.

The letter distributed Thursday by Clear Wisconsin and signed by a dozen organizations declares that if carried out, the utility’s plan will enhance air air pollution from nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, lead, carbon monoxide, unstable natural compounds and greenhouse gasses that contribute to local weather change.

“It’s time for Wisconsin to leave these dangerous ways to produce energy behind, not double-down on dirty fuels in the name of new technology,” the letter states.

As an alternative of backing the methane energy build-out, the letter urges Microsoft to embrace increasing photo voltaic and wind energy in Wisconsin to satisfy the elevated demand.

“Microsoft’s recently-announced plan to help fund a currently unspecified 250-megawatt solar project in Wisconsin is a good start, but this represents just a fraction of the data center’s energy needs,” the letter states. “There must be more.”

The letter cites Microsoft’s public claims of dedication to addressing local weather change.

“This data center project represents a critical opportunity to help drive change in Wisconsin and put us on a path to clean wind and solar,” the letter states. “Microsoft knows what we all know, that the window to make meaningful progress in the fight against climate change is closing, and the decisions we make right now matter.”

In an announcement Thursday responding to the letter, We Energies spokesman Brendan Conway stated the brand new proposed pure gasoline technology vegetation have been needed to make sure dependable service as the corporate continues its transfer towards cleaner energy sources.

“Now more than ever, it is critical for us to have quick-start gas plants available and running in our state for those times when intermittent renewable generation cannot meet customers’ energy needs,” Conway stated. He referred to as the gasoline vegetation “the cheapest, most reliable and lowest carbon approach to support our customers when solar and wind are not able to provide enough power.”

The proposed vegetation adjust to EPA emission requirements, Conway stated. He added that We Energies continues to increase its clear vitality manufacturing, spending greater than $7 billion on photo voltaic, wind and battery storage capability by 2028. The utility calculates that with these investments it is going to be producing 4 occasions its present output of non-carbon vitality inside 5 years.

By Erik Gunn. Courtesy of Wisconsin Examiner.

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