Microsoft May Shelve 2030 Renewable Energy Target as AI Demand Outpaces Power Supply

Microsoft is reconsidering its 2030 goal to match 100% of hourly electricity consumption with renewable purchases, as AI infrastructure expansion drives power needs faster than renewable projects come online. Despite contracting 40 gigawatts of new renewable capacity by 2025, accelerating data center deployments have created a temporal mismatch between grid demand and clean energy availability. The company continues procuring renewable energy at scale but acknowledges that hourly matching—a more stringent commitment than annual matching—may be infeasible under current growth trajectories.