[Report] MS "No Distinction Between Solar and Nuclear" Committed to Carbon-Free Energy

Microsoft Moves Beyond RE100 to CF100
Collaborates with Hanwha Solutions on Solar Power Business

Hanwha Solutions formed a solar alliance in January with Microsoft (MS), the world's largest software company based in the United States. Hanwha Solutions will supply solar power modules and collaborate on the design and construction of power plants for MS's energy transition project, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality early by 2030. As a tech company, MS plans to secure zero-carbon energy sources without distinction among technologies, including not only solar power but also renewable energies such as hydropower, wind, geothermal, as well as nuclear power.

Melanie Nikagawa, MS Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), stated in an interview with domestic media on the 12th (local time) at MS headquarters' Raymond Campus in Seattle, USA, "MS has already achieved RE100 (100% renewable energy) and is striving to achieve the higher goal of CF100 (100% carbon-free energy)."

Melanie Nikagawa, Chief Sustainability Officer of MS, is holding a meeting with domestic media at MS headquarters, Raymond Campus in Seattle, USA, on the 12th (local time). (Photo by Hanwha Solutions)

CSO Nikagawa previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Transition at the U.S. Department of State and worked as a Special Advisor to the President and Senior Director for Climate and Energy at the White House National Security Council until last year.

CF100 is a campaign to use only carbon-free energy 24 hours a day, excluding fossil fuels, and includes nuclear power and hydrogen. Last month, the Korean government emphasized the international spread of carbon-free energy at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and proposed the international community's 'CF Alliance.'

He said, "To achieve CF100 by 2025, we have newly introduced a power monitoring system," adding, "Finding energy suppliers to verify 24-hour carbon-free energy procurement is of utmost importance."

The collaboration with Hanwha Solutions is also an attempt to secure carbon-free energy. This is the first energy cooperation between an information and communication technology (ICT) company and a solar power company in the United States. Starting this year, Hanwha Solutions will sequentially supply more than 2.5 GW of modules to solar power plants with which MS signs power purchase agreements (PPAs). It will also be responsible for engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) for building solar power plants.

Melanie Nikagawa, Chief Sustainability Officer of MS, held a meeting with domestic media at MS headquarters, Raymond Campus in Seattle, USA, on the 12th (local time). (Photo by Hanwha Solutions)

MS is also promoting renewable energy power procurement projects worldwide. The goal is to procure carbon-free energy not only for MS offices and data centers spread across various countries but also for data centers leased and used by MS.

He also introduced, "We have established an ambitious plan to go beyond carbon neutrality and neutralize the carbon emitted so far." MS achieved carbon neutrality with zero carbon emissions in 2012 and will start 'carbon negative' efforts from 2030 to neutralize the carbon emitted until then.

To this end, MS launched the '100/100/0' project. The goal is to procure 100% of electricity consumption every hour from zero-carbon (0) energy sources. They plan to use carbon-free energy and track and verify it in real time.

He added, "Improving the transmission network is as important as simply producing carbon-free energy," and said, "As carbon reduction technologies develop in Korea, I believe it will be possible to build supply chains in various ways."