Microsoft to buy energy from GE's Tullahennel wind farm for 15 years

Microsoft is entering into a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with GE to purchase 100 percent of the wind energy from its new, 37-megawatt Tullahennel wind farm in County Kerry, Ireland — the latest example of large multinational companies driving demand for renewable energy and guarantees of origin in Europe. Microsoft is also acquiring an Irish energy supply license from GE and ElectroRoute will act as trading service provider for the supply company.

The wind farm will integrate GE’s Digital Wind Farm technology, which makes renewable energy outputs even more reliable. Digital models, built on the Predix platform, ensure energy generation supplied can meet demand forecasted and reduce intermittency concerns. In addition, each turbine will have an integrated battery; Microsoft and GE will test how these batteries can be used to capture and store excess energy, and then provide it back to the grid as needed. This provides more predictable power to an increasingly green Iris...