Google Signs 15-Year Offshore Wind Agreement to Power AI Growth in Germany

Google has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement with European utility EnBW to secure 100 megawatts of offshore wind power from a new project in the German North Sea. The agreement is designed to support Google’s expanding artificial intelligence and data center infrastructure while adding new renewable generation capacity to Germany’s electricity system.

The deal reflects a broader shift among large technology companies toward long-term, region-specific clean energy procurement as electricity demand from AI workloads continues to rise across Europe.

 

Offshore Wind as a Backbone for 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy

 

The renewable electricity supplied under the agreement will come from EnBW’s He Dreiht offshore wind farm, one of the largest offshore wind projects currently under development in Europe. With a planned installed capacity of 960 megawatts, the project is expected to play a significant role in strengthening Germany’s renewable energy supply once operational.

According to EnBW, most of the future output from He Dreiht has already been contracted through long-term PPAs, underscoring strong corporate demand for offshore wind as a stable, scalable source of clean electricity.

 

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Supporting Google’s Net-Zero and 24/7 CFE Targets

 

The agreement aligns with Google’s environmental commitments, including its goal to achieve net-zero emissions across its operations and value chain by 2030. Central to this strategy is the company’s 24/7 carbon-free energy ambition, which aims to match electricity consumption with carbon-free energy supply on an hourly basis in every region where Google operates.

Since 2010, Google has signed more than 170 clean energy agreements totaling over 22 gigawatts of generation capacity. Despite rapidly growing energy consumption driven by cloud services and AI, the company recently reported a 12 percent reduction in data center carbon emissions in 2024, highlighting continued efficiency gains alongside procurement.

 

Powering AI Infrastructure Through Direct Energy Investment

 

Adam Elman, Director of Sustainability for EMEA at Google, said the agreement reflects the company’s view that scaling AI responsibly requires parallel investment in energy infrastructure. By contracting new offshore wind capacity, Google is seeking not only to meet its own electricity demand in Germany but also to contribute to the wider decarbonization of the power system.

The approach signals a move beyond relying solely on existing clean energy supply, instead using long-term contracts to bring new renewable projects to market in regions experiencing rapid digital growth.

 

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EnBW Positions Offshore Wind as an Enabler of the Digital Economy

 

From EnBW’s perspective, the agreement highlights the growing role of utilities in supporting industrial and digital decarbonization. Peter Heydecker, Member of the EnBW Board of Management responsible for Sustainable Generation Infrastructure, said the partnership demonstrates how customized PPAs can directly link renewable energy investments with demand from energy-intensive sectors.

By securing long-term offtake from a global technology company, EnBW is reducing project risk while enabling large-scale offshore wind deployment that supports both climate goals and economic competitiveness.

 

Corporate PPAs and the Energy Transition in Europe

 

The deal comes amid accelerating demand for clean power across Europe as AI, cloud computing, and electrification place additional strain on national grids. Long-term corporate PPAs are increasingly viewed as a critical tool for financing new renewable capacity, particularly capital-intensive offshore wind projects.

For Germany, agreements like this help anchor investment in domestic renewable infrastructure while ensuring that digital growth does not translate into higher fossil fuel dependence. For Google, the partnership strengthens its ability to scale AI operations in Europe while staying aligned with increasingly stringent climate and energy commitments.