Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) are teaming up on a clean energy initiative to tackle climate change and drive growth across Ontario.
The team-up includes a series of initiatives focused on clean energy solutions and digital education programs. Microsoft will acquire clean energy credits (CEC) from OPG’s carbon-neutral hydro and nuclear power programs every hour, which will give it the ability to advance its 100/100/0 by 2030 goal of powering its data-centers with carbon free energy.
“As environmental goals increasingly influence corporate decisions on where to invest and grow, this partnership between OPG and Microsoft illustrates the potential for Ontario’s Clean Energy Credit registry to draw businesses from across the world to our province. This voluntary registry will incentivize investments in new clean energy generation and technological innovation while reducing costs for ratepayers,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy.
Any revenue raised from the sale of CECs will support ratepayers and investments in clean energy generation in the province. This will help the province meet the increased demand for electricity in order to meet its economic growth requirements.
Here’s what else the two companies are collaborating on:
- Developing an energy efficient platform that uses Microsoft Azure IoT And AI tech to help matching a customers power needs with carbon-neutral energy sources.
- OPG has chosen Microsoft Azure as its cloud platform to help with IT infrastructure and services, and speed migration to the cloud.
- The two companies intend to explore and develop ideas on how accelerate OPG’s Small Modular Reactor (SMR) programs in order to advance a goal of developing it into a service that other energy providers can use.
OPG has also joined the CEO Pledge. Microsoft Canada’s pledge is to commit its used technology to the Government of Canada’s Computers for Schools Plus (CSF+) program. Both companies will also include digital skilling initiatives to indigenous communities, including skills-building to increase economic and employment options.
“We can only address climate change by tackling the challenge collectively. Agreements like this one with OPG will help Microsoft move closer to achieving our sustainability commitments, including our goal of having 100 percent of our electricity consumption, 100 percent of the time, matched by zero carbon energy purchases by 2030. Working closely with like-minded organizations like OPG, will help us move toward a more sustainable future, while continuing to power innovation in Ontario,” said Chris Barry, president of Microsoft Canada.
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