Google’s data center power playbook comes into focus

Google is advancing its strategy to power new data centers with clean energy, exemplified by a recent agreement with Michigan utility DTE to add 2.7 gigawatts of new energy resources near Detroit. This plan includes 1.6 GW of solar power, 400 MW of four-hour energy storage, 50 MW of long-duration storage, and 300 MW of unspecified “additional clean resources” such as wind, hydro, nuclear, or geothermal. The remaining 350 MW will come from demand response programs, where electricity use is temporarily reduced during peak demand. While some details remain unclear—such as the exact makeup of the “clean resources” and how demand response will be implemented—Google is leveraging its Clean Transition Tariff to pay a premium for specific power types and encourage utilities to integrate these technologies into long-term planning. This initiative follows a similar approach used in a Minnesota data center project and reflects a shift in Google’s practice: power projects are now announced alongside data center developments rather than