Running a data center undoubtedly takes a lot of energy. Especially when her name companyς Microsoft, and you are the largest technology company on the planet. But this does not necessarily mean that the data center is harmful to the environment.
The company has just announced that it will use two wind farms to fully replenish the Cheyenne data center in Wyoming from renewable sources.
Microsoft claims to have entered into an agreement with the Bloom Wind farm in Kansas to allocate 178 megawatt, but also to the Silver Sage and Happy Jack farms in Wyoming to grant 59 megawatt extra.
This is not the only energy deal that Microsoft has closed in recent years.
The company has already closed an agreement for the concession of 75 megawatts with a wind farm in Illinois, and another for the concession of 100 megawatts with a wind farm in Texas. In total, Microsoft is currently buying 500 megawatts energy from wind energy sources.
Interestingly, the company also revealed that the data center backup generators will be used as a "secondary source" for the local network. This means that it will provide energy for the local community in times of high demand.
These backup generators run on natural gas, which despite being a fossil fuel, is far less ecologically detrimental than our well-known oil.
Microsoft hopes that by 2018, it will uses around a total of 50% renewable energy, and the above agreement shows that the company is on the right track.