Google's net zero efforts -- led by Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt (pictured, top of page) -- don't end there. The company, driven by CEO Sundar Pichai, also develops cloud-based sustainability software tools for partners and customers to leverage. And the Google Startups for Sustainable Development program supports a global ecosystem of impact-focused startups. The program builds community and supports startups with advisors, funding, and platform technology.
The timeline below, updated regularly, further explains Google's sustainability strategy, key milestones, customer engagements, partner integrations and more. Check back regularly for updates.
March 2026
Quantum: Google Quantum AI is expanding its quantum computing research to include neutral atom quantum computing, which uses individual atoms as qubits, alongside superconducting, the company said. "In expert jargon, we often say that superconducting processors are easier to scale in the time dimension (circuit depth), while neutral atoms are easier to scale in the space dimension (qubit count)," the company said.
Partner: Openreach, a UK broadband provider, has tapped Google Cloud to "accelerate its sustainability and connectivity goals," the companies said.
Alliance - Grid Energy Costs: Google, Tesla and several partners have launched Utilize, an effort to "increase grid utilization—lowering energy costs, enabling growth, and accelerating deployment of proven distributed capacity solutions."
Partnership - AI and Sustainability Fellowship: CDP and Google.org have launched a fellowship program. The resulting team of fellows will "support CDP in building an innovative, AI-powered tool to transform how cities, states, and regions use CDP’s environmental dataset to help them reduce risk and drive action for the future," the companies said.
M&A - Data Centers and Energy Services: Google has completed the $4.75 billion acquisition of Intersect from TPG. Intersect provides data center and energy infrastructure solutions. The deal was initially announced in December 2025. At the same time, TPG has spun IPX Power out of Intersect to act as an independent clean energy power producer.
February 2026
Data Center Expansion: Google plans to open a data center in Pine Island, Minnesota. Google will partner with Xcel Energy and leverage clean energy for the data center effort, according to Briana Kobor, Google's head of energy market innovation.
United States - AI Data Center Energy Policy: Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, xAI, Oracle and OpenAI will visit the White House in March and sign agreement to build their own electricity supply for AI data centers, Fox News reported.
India: Google is striving to help India accelerate its decarbonization and climate technology initiatives. Toward that end, Google has launched a Center for Climate Technology on India's Manthan platform, according to a blog from Vrushali Gaud, director of climate operations at Google.
Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs): Google data centers in Texas will leverage solar energy from TotalEnergies as part of a 15-year agreement. Also, Google has signed a PPA with German power company EnB., Data Center Dynamics reported. The deal sources energy from the He Dreiht offshore wind farm in the German North Sea, the report said.
January 2026
Investment:Google has invested in Redwood Materials, a battery recycling and energy storage company led by Tesla co-founder JB Straubel. Redwood raised $425 million from multiple investors in its Series E round.
Power Purchase Agreement: Google has signed a power purchase agrement (PPA) with Clearway Energy Group, Carbon Credits reported. The agreement involves nearly 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of carbon-free energy to power Google's data centers across the United States. The power sources will include wind and solar projects in Missouri, Texas, and West Virginia, the report said.
December 2025
M&A - Data Centers and Power Infrastructure: Alphabet, parent of Google, is acquiring Intersect, a provider of data center and energy infrastructure solutions. The purchase price: $4.75 billion in cash and the assumption of debt. Intersect co-locates dedicated gas and renewable power generation with data center infrastructure. The M&A deal surfaces one year after Google partnered with Intersect and TPG Rise Climate in December 2024.
Lawsuit: Writers including Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John Carreyrou filed a copyright lawsuit accusing six AI giants of using pirated copies of their books to train large language models. The complaint claims Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, Meta Platforms, xAI and Perplexity committed a “deliberate act of theft.” (Source: Bloomberg Law). Related: List of AI industry lawsuits, court rulings and judgments.
E-Waste Reduction: Google's A2UI (Agent to User Interface) is an open source protocol that transforms aging smart phone and tablets into useful thin-client screens, according to Intelligent Living.
Partnership - Sustainability and AI Agents:Cority, a provider of EHS and sustainability software, has partnered with Google Cloud to "bring trusted AI agents to the front lines of operational risk management," the two companies said. Key to the effort; integrating Google's Gemini models directly into Cortex AI.
Partnership - Carbon Removal: Google has signed a deal with marine CO2 removal firm Ebb Carbon for 3,500 tons of carbon removal credits, Data Center Dynamics reported. Microsoft also has a relationship with Ebb Carbon.
Partnership - Cloud Services: Google, in partnership with Kioxia, plans to more fully leverage hydropower in Japan's Chubu region. This project involves Chubu Electric Power group.
More: Continue to the next page for additional Google sustainability strategy updates, and associated partner engagements.
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