Google and energyRe Boost Clean Energy in South Carolina with 600 MW Solar Deal

energyRe, a U.S.-based renewable energy developer, has signed a new renewable energy agreement with Google to support over 600 megawatts of solar and solar-plus-storage projects in South Carolina. Through this agreement, Google will invest in and buy Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from these projects to reduce its emissions across operations and the global value chain.

Notably, this is the second time Google has partnered with energyRe, and together. Both deals will bring more than 1 gigawatt (GWac) of clean energy to the grid.

Amanda Peterson Corio, Head of Data Center Energy, said,

“Strengthening the grid by deploying more reliable and clean energy is crucial for supporting the digital infrastructure that businesses and individuals depend on. Our collaboration with energyRe will help power our data centers and the broader economic growth of South Carolina.”

energyRe and Google: Powering Progress with Solar and Storage Projects

In October 2024, energyRe signed a 12-year agreement with Google to provide clean energy and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from a new 435-megawatt (MWdc) solar project in South Carolina. energyRe will develop, own, and operate the project, which will generate enough electricity to power more than 56,000 homes each year.

Google and energyRe completed the deal through LEAP™—a clean energy procurement platform co-developed by Google and LevelTen Energy. LEAP™ simplifies and speeds up the process of securing renewable energy agreements.

Boosting America’s Clean Energy Footprint

energyRe is a leading independent clean energy company based in the United States. The company focuses on delivering large-scale renewable energy solutions across utility-scale solar, onshore and offshore wind, transmission infrastructure, distributed generation, and battery storage.

With offices in New York, Houston, Indianapolis, and Charleston, energyRe is driving the U.S. energy transition with an emphasis on building robust, regional electric grids that can handle growing clean energy demands.

Its national renewable portfolio includes:

1,520 MWdc of contracted solar assets
398 MWh of battery storage capacity

These projects can potentially enhance grid reliability, reduce energy costs for consumers, and help cities cut carbon emissions.

Miguel Prado, CEO of energyRe, also commented,

“This agreement is a milestone in energyRe’s mission to develop innovative and impactful clean energy solutions for the future. We’re honored to partner with Google to help advance their ambitious sustainability and decarbonization objectives while delivering dependable, locally sourced clean energy to meet growing energy demands.”

Flexible Clean Energy for All

energyRe offers flexible purchase agreements to meet different customer needs. It provides both bundled energy with Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and REC-only options. These agreements can be delivered physically or financially nationwide, making it easier for companies like Google to access renewable energy.

With this latest deal, energyRe continues to play a vital role in decarbonizing U.S. cities, supporting transmission-led generation, and creating a resilient, clean energy future.

LATEST: ENGIE Supercharges 2.4 GW Battery Storage in Texas & California with CBRE Partnership

Google Stays on Track for Net-Zero by 2030

Google plans to reach net-zero emissions across its operations and value chain by 2030. Its strategy includes reducing emissions where possible and using carbon removal to handle what remains.

In 2023, Google’s total emissions reached 14.3 million tons of CO₂ equivalent—a 13% rise from the previous year. The increase came mostly from higher data center power use and supply chain growth, though the pace of increase slowed.

SEE MORE: Google Bets Big on Next-Gen Nuclear and Carbon Credits from Superpollutants For a Greener AI

24/7 Carbon-Free Energy

In 2023, Google made solid progress on its clean energy journey. It maintained a global average of 64% carbon-free energy across all its offices and data centers, even as electricity use increased. In fact, 10 of its grid regions reached at least 90% carbon-free energy.

Thus, instead of just matching its annual energy use with clean power, Google wants to use carbon-free electricity every hour, everywhere it operates. That’s why this partnership with energyRe is significant for the tech giant.

These new projects will deliver local clean energy and support South Carolina’s clean energy targets as well.

Additionally, Google also avoids buying older “unbundled” energy certificates that would lower its reported emissions but don’t lead to new clean energy. Instead, it focuses on newer, bundled projects that bring real impact.

Betting on Renewables

Some innovative technologies Google uses to cut down its emissions are: smart solar panels like dragonscale rooftops and solar facades. It also applies machine learning to forecast wind energy and shifts computing tasks based on the carbon levels of local power grids.

Moreover, Google is backing new clean energy tech like next-gen geothermal and carbon removal solutions such as direct air capture and BECCS. It’s also helping improve how clean energy is tracked by supporting time-based certificates that measure real-time clean energy use.

So far, Google has signed contracts for over 7 gigawatts of renewable energy and helped pioneer hourly clean energy tracking, giving the world a better way to measure carbon-free electricity.

google renewable energy — Source: Google

All in all, by expanding its partnership with energyRe, Google continues to move closer to its goal of carbon-free energy round the clock. Furthermore, the partnership is a key step in aligning corporate climate action with local clean energy development.