Microsoft Goes Green: Uses Wind Energy to Power Its Data Centre

Microsoft said its Cheyenne data centre in Wyoming will now be powered entirely by 237 megawatts of wind energy.

"Our commitment extends beyond greening our own operations because these projects help create a greener, more reliable grid in the communities in which we operate," Brad Smith, President and Chief Legal Officer, said in a Microsoft blog post "That's why we are announcing our largest wind energy purchases yet - 237 megawatts of wind energy - that will allow our data centre in Cheyenne, Wyoming to be powered entirely by wind power."

Microsoft has also structured the purchase and partnered with the local utility in novel ways to facilitate a shift of cities and states towards a cleaner energy grid.

Microsoft said it entered into agreements with two wind farms to power its Cheyenne data centre from renewable sources.

Of the two partnerships, Microsoft has procured 178 megawatts from the Bloom Wind Project in Kansas through Allianz Risk Transfer (ART) to help bring this new project online and partnered with Black Hills Corp. to purchase wind power from the 59-megawatt Happy Jack and Silver Sage wind farms in Wyoming.

With these energy deals, Microsoft's total investment in wind energy projects in the US has gone up to over 500 megawatts.