Pecten Images for Shell Online, The Netherlands, Rotterdam, 2016. Image courtesy Shell (copyright: Jiri Buller)
Google has selected Shell Energy Europe Limited (Shell) as its ‘24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Manager’ in the UK, an agreement they say will contribute to grid stability in the country.
Shell will manage a power portfolio for Google that addresses the intermittency of clean energy generation through access to battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Shell will optimise Google’s existing clean energy portfolio, including the off-take from its long-term agreement with ENGIE from the Moray West project in Scotland, which was announced in 2022 to add 100MW of energy to the grid.
Under its partnership with Shell, surplus energy from the project will be stored when production is high and then released back to the grid when production is low.
According to Google in a release, between the Shell alliance and Google’s other clean energy initiatives, the hyperscaler’s operations in the UK are projected to run at or near 95% carbon-free-energy in 2026.
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Google’s £5 billion investment in the UK
Google’s partnership with Shell was announced alongside the opening of its data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, as part of a two-year £5 billion ($6.8 billion) investment in the UK.
Opened by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the £734 million ($1 billion) data centre will help meet growing demand for Google’s AI-powered services across the country. More than 250 companies worked on building the facility.
The entire £5 billion investment includes Google’s capital expenditure, research and development, and related engineering over the next two years. It also encompasses Google DeepMind with its pioneering AI research in science and healthcare.
Commenting in a release was Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, chancellor of the Exchequer: “Google’s £5 billion investment is a powerful vote of confidence in the UK economy and the strength of our partnership with the US, creating jobs and economic growth for years to come.”
Said Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer, Alphabet and Google: “Google’s investment in technical infrastructure, expanded energy capacity and job-ready AI skills will help ensure everyone in Broxbourne and across the whole of the UK stays at the cutting-edge of global tech opportunities.”
The £734 billion ($1 billion) Waltham Cross data centre was announced by Google in January 2024. The facility uses advanced air-cooling technology to limit water usage to domestic use and is also equipped to support off-site heat recovery.
