Google Inks Major Wind Power Deal to Fuel German AI and Cloud Operations
February 5, 2026
In a significant move to secure clean energy for its growing European infrastructure, Google has entered into a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with German utility EnBW. The deal underscores the intensifying focus of hyperscale data center operators on directly sourcing renewable energy to power their facilities and meet ambitious sustainability targets. The 15-year agreement will see Google offtake 100 megawatts of electricity from the He Dreiht offshore wind farm, currently under construction in the German North Sea. Located approximately 90 kilometers northwest of Borkum, the wind farm is poised to become Germany's largest upon its completion, with a total installed capacity of 960MW. It is scheduled to reach commercial operation in the spring of 2026. Peter Heydecker, Member of the EnBW Board of Management for Sustainable Generation Infrastructure, stated, “With He Dreiht and our PPA with Google, we are demonstrating that large-scale, clean energy solutions are already a reality today. Together, we are helping to power innovation and progress with renewable energy – reliably and around the clock.” For Google, the PPA is a strategic step toward its goal of operating on 24/7 carbon-free energy across its global portfolio.
Adam Elman, Google’s Director of Sustainability for EMEA, linked the investment directly to the demands of artificial intelligence, noting, “Meeting the demand for AI infrastructure requires direct investment in the energy systems that make this technology possible. By contracting for new wind power from EnBW, we are bringing more clean energy online in Germany to power our operations, while accelerating the broader transition to a more sustainable electricity grid.” This agreement expands Google's substantial clean energy footprint in Germany, coming shortly after the company announced a massive €5.5 billion investment in AI infrastructure and offices in the country between 2026 and 2029. The deal also follows Google's recent expansion of a 24/7 carbon-free energy partnership with Engie in Germany, which incorporates battery storage and additional PPAs. EnBW has previously secured other major offtakers for the He Dreiht project, including a 100MW PPA with Deutsche Telekom's energy subsidiary in 2023.
For the data center industry, this transaction highlights a critical trend: the path to scaling AI and cloud computing is increasingly dependent on securing large-scale, dedicated renewable power sources. Such deals not only help tech giants decarbonize but also catalyze the development of new renewable energy projects, effectively transforming corporate energy procurement into a key driver for grid modernization and the energy transition.
Source: datacenterdynamics
