Microsoft may abandon one of tech’s boldest clean energy goals as AI data centers surge

Microsoft may be rethinking one of the tech industry’s most ambitious clean-energy commitments as its AI-fueled data center buildout sends electricity demand soaring.

What’s happening?

According to Bloomberg, the company is considering pushing back — or possibly scrapping — its 2030 plan to line up all of its electricity use, hour by hour, with zero-carbon power. The possible shift highlights a growing tension across the tech sector as the race to build AI infrastructure is running headfirst into climate promises made before the current boom in computing demand.

Microsoft introduced the goal in 2021 under the name “100/100/0.” The idea was more ambitious than the standard approach many companies have used for renewable energy accounting. Rather than buying enough clean electricity over the course of a year to offset total consumption, Microsoft said it wanted to match its electricity use with zero-carbon power on an hourly basis and…