Google and France’s Engie Team Up to Accelerate Wind Power
(Bloomberg) -- French utility Engie SA will begin using an experimental technology from Google that aims to boost efficiency and power from wind farms, the companies announced on Wednesday.
Google is selling the service through its cloud division, which is trying to lure clients with tools for managing energy usage and reducing emissions. In 2019, Google said it worked with DeepMind, a sister company of parent Alphabet Inc., to make artificial intelligence software that could predict wind power output thirty-six hours in advance. That would let energy providers schedule inputs into energy grids ahead of time with more accuracy, countering some of the unpredictability of wind generation. Early tests on Google’s data centers improved the value of wind energy by 20 percent, according to Google.
For utility customers, Google's AI service offers forecasts that can sharpen their decisions when they buy and sell in energy markets, said Larry Cochrane, director of global energy solutions for Google Cloud. “The best way to think about it is as a trading recommendations tool,” he said.
Engie will be the first customer to use Google’s feature, starting with the utility’s wind portfolio in Germany. If the pilot program is successful, the companies plan to expand across Europe, Cochrane said. The companies did not share financial terms. According to Cochrane, Google may soon offer similar forecasting services for other renewable markets like solar power and storage.
The French utility plans to more than double its renewable power generation to 80 gigawatts by 2030, despite a recent uptick in prices for solar panels and wind turbines. Previously, Engie has publicized its work with Amazon Web Services, a Google cloud rival.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
KEEPING THE ENERGY INDUSTRY CONNECTED
Subscribe to our newsletter and get the best of Energy Connects directly to your inbox each week.
By subscribing, you agree to the processing of your personal data by dmg events as described in the Privacy Policy.
More renewables news

Spain’s Rural Areas Are Backing Wine Over Wind Farms

Inside the LA Fire Cleanup's Rush to Remove Tons of Toxic Rubble

EU’s Von der Leyen Set to Pitch CEOs on Competitiveness Plan

India Set to Ease Nuclear Laws to Draw Private Capital

Exxon, Chevron Succumb to Oil-Refining Slump as Tariffs Loom

Germany Opens Way For Gas Beyond 2035 With Subsidy Extension

India Says China Dominance Is a Risk to Clean Energy Transition

Goldman Sachs AM Seeks Up to $3 Billion for Climate Credit Fund

AfDB Seeks Currency Fix to Unlock Funding for Africa Electricity
