Google and ReNew Partner on 150 MW Solar Project to Address Scope 3 Emissions in India

Google has signed a long-term agreement with Indian renewable energy major ReNew Energy Global to develop a 150 megawatt solar power project in Rajasthan, marking a significant step in the technology company’s efforts to tackle hard-to-abate Scope 3 emissions while supporting India’s clean energy expansion. The project will add new solar capacity to the Indian grid and forms part of Google’s broader strategy to align its global operations and value chain with its climate targets. Construction of the solar farm is expected to be completed in 2026, with the facility projected to generate approximately 425,000 megawatt-hours of electricity each year, enough to power more than 360,000 households.

 

Under the agreement, Google will purchase environmental attribute certificates associated with the solar project rather than directly consuming the electricity. The company said these attributes will be allocated toward its Scope 3 emissions, which include indirect emissions from suppliers, partners, and other activities across its value chain. This structure reflects a growing challenge for large corporates pursuing net zero goals. While many companies can decarbonize their own operations and direct electricity use, a significant portion of emissions sit outside direct control and are difficult to trace to individual suppliers. Vrushali Gaud, Global Director of Climate Operations at Google, said the partnership addresses this gap by enabling investment in clean energy where emissions attribution is complex. She noted that while Google continues to work closely with suppliers to increase renewable energy adoption, agreements like this help address residual value chain emissions that cannot be linked to a single source.

 

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The Rajasthan solar project aligns with Google’s long-term climate objectives, including its goal to reach net zero emissions across its operations and value chain by 2030 and its ambition to operate entirely on carbon-free energy on a 24/7 basis by the end of the decade. Google’s 24/7 carbon-free energy goal goes beyond annual renewable energy matching. It seeks to align electricity demand with clean energy supply every hour of every day, in every region where the company operates. Achieving this requires not only new renewable capacity but also targeted investment in regions where grid decarbonization is still underway. According to Google, India represents one of those high-impact regions, where rapid demand growth and grid transition present both challenges and opportunities for clean energy deployment.

 

For ReNew, the partnership underscores its position as one of India’s largest renewable energy developers and its ability to deliver utility-scale clean energy projects backed by long-term corporate agreements. Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-Founder and Chairperson of Sustainability at ReNew, described the agreement as a signal of confidence in India’s renewable energy ecosystem. She said long-term commitments from global companies help unlock new capacity, de-risk project development, and accelerate the country’s transition toward a cleaner energy system. ReNew has been actively expanding its solar and wind portfolio across India, supporting both domestic energy needs and the sustainability goals of multinational corporations operating in the country.

 

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The solar project also contributes to India’s national energy transition agenda. The country has set a target of reaching 500 gigawatts of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, with non-fossil sources already accounting for roughly half of installed electricity capacity. By adding new solar generation in Rajasthan, a state with strong solar resources, the project supports grid decarbonization while helping meet rising electricity demand from households, industry, and digital infrastructure. Google said the agreement represents its first implementation of its newly outlined Scope 3 clean energy framework in India. The framework is designed to direct investment to regions where clean energy can deliver the greatest emissions impact while supporting local energy systems.

 

As companies face increasing scrutiny over value chain emissions, partnerships like the Google and ReNew agreement point to a broader shift in corporate climate strategies. Rather than relying solely on supplier engagement or carbon offsets, firms are increasingly investing directly in new clean energy capacity in emerging markets. For global companies, this approach offers a pathway to address complex Scope 3 emissions while supporting energy access, grid stability, and economic development. For India, such collaborations help mobilize international capital toward national climate and energy priorities. The Rajasthan solar project illustrates how corporate climate commitments and local energy transitions can align, delivering benefits that extend beyond emissions reductions to long-term infrastructure and grid resilience.

 

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