Microsoft has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with GE for all the electricity generated by the 37MW Tullahennel wind farm in county Kerry, Ireland.

The electricity will support Microsoft’s growing cloud services in Ireland, the company said.

Dublin company ElectroRoute will provide energy trading services to Microsoft as part of the deal. 

The PPA builds on Microsoft’s strategic partnership with GE, which was announced last year. 

The wind farm will integrate GE’s digital wind farm technology, which makes renewable energy outputs even more reliable. 

Each turbine will also include an integrated battery, which will allow Microsoft and GE to test the capability to capture and store excess energy, and then provide it back to the grid when needed. 

Microsoft is also acquiring an Irish energy supply license from GE. 

Microsoft datacenter strategy general manager Christian Belady said: “Our commitment will help bring new, clean energy to the Irish grid, and contains innovative elements that have the potential to grow the capacity, reliability and capability of the grid.” 

Sustainable Nation Ireland, which is tasked by the Irish government to grow Ireland as a hub for sustainable investment and business, welcomed the deal.

Sustainable Nation Ireland chief executive Stephen Nolan said: “This announcement highlights our world-class capability to ensure world-leaders like Microsoft can run operations that are powered by clean energy, which meets a key Microsoft strategic imperative. With only a few weeks out to the next round of international climate talks – COP23, this new agreement underpins Ireland’s emergence as a global leader in sustainable business and investment.”

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