Despite the negative impacts, Microsoft is taking steps to address these issues. The company is working on capturing and re-using cooling water, and has initiated projects to offset impacts in high water stress locations. It also used 23.6 million MWh of renewable energy in 2023 and designated 15,849 acres of land as permanently protected. However, the transition of data centers to renewable energy remains a significant challenge.
Key takeaways:
- Microsoft's 2024 Sustainability Report reveals that the company's emissions increased by 29% and water usage by 23% in 2023, primarily due to new technologies such as generative AI.
- The majority of emissions come from Scope 3 (96%), which includes the supply chain, data centers, and the use of Microsoft products by millions of customers.
- Microsoft is working on initiatives to reduce its global reliance on freshwater resources, including capturing and reusing cooling water and implementing replenishment projects, especially in high water stress locations where it operates data centers.
- Despite the environmental challenges, Microsoft continues to invest in AI and data centers, with plans to spend $3.3 billion to build a new data center in Wisconsin, and is exploring ways to advance sustainability with each new technology and opportunity.