Google builds 1GW green data center in India under decarbonization pressure

Google is planning major investments in a data center and renewable energy infrastructure in India. (Photo: iStock)

Google plans to invest up to $6 billion in India to establish its first data center in the country, a project that could become the largest of its kind in Asia. To ensure reliable electricity supply, the tech giant is also preparing to invest in renewable energy infrastructure locally.

Google eyes India with its largest data center, clean energy

Citing sources within the Indian government, Reuters reported that Google is committing $4 billion to develop a 1-gigawatt data center in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh.

While Google has previously spent billions expanding data center capacity in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, this marks its first foray into India. With both the size and investment scale poised to surpass previous efforts in the region, the project is attracting significant attention.

The government of Andhra Pradesh in southeastern India plans data centers as a key development priority. (Photo:iStock)

To meet the massive power demand of the new facility, Google is also expected to develop renewable energy assets in the port city of Visakhapatnam, though specifics regarding the type and scale of clean energy have not been disclosed. The parent company Alphabet has not confirmed the details.

The Andhra Pradesh government, under financial strain, has been actively seeking foreign investment and has prioritized data center development. Its goal is to scale installed capacity from zero to 6 GW within five years. Projects totaling 1.6 GW have already been confirmed.

State IT Minister Nara Lokesh noted that the government is considering strengthening its energy infrastructure to attract more data center projects.

Google acknowledges Asia's decarbonization challenges

Google aims to achieve net-zero emissions across its operations and value chain by 2030, and to run entirely on carbon-free energy around the clock. But Asia remains a particularly difficult region to decarbonize, according to company executives.

Giorgio Fortunato, Head of Clean Energy and Power for Google in Asia-Pacific, said at a recent business forum that Asia presents some of the toughest hurdles for the company’s sustainability targets. He highlighted issues such as Taiwan’s limited green power supply and Japan’s lack of land for utility-scale solar development.

Fortunato added that Google is exploring various low-carbon energy sources, including geothermal, to accelerate its decarbonization efforts.

The broader tech industry is also eyeing nuclear as a viable low-carbon energy source. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has previously hinted at internal evaluations of small modular reactor (SMR) technologies. Meanwhile, Microsoft has taken a step further by investing in fusion energy.

On July 30, Microsoft’s fusion partner, Helion Energy, announced construction had begun on its fusion power plant in the U.S., aiming to supply electricity to Microsoft data centers by 2028.

Source: Reuters(1)、(2)、Bloomberg