Google announced that it has signed a new renewable energy power purchase agreement (PPA) with Shell, buying 100% of the power generated by Shell NoordzeeWind, the Netherlands’ oldest wind farm.
The wind farm, which was built by Shell and Vattenfall JV NoordzeeWind and began operations in 2007, generates a total of 108 megawatts of power. Shell acquired Vattenfall’s share of the project in 2021. Per EU regulations, it was set to be decommissioned soon, although the PPA will enable Shell to pursue permit extensions and invest in crucial upgrades to enable continued functioning of the site, thus keeping existing carbon-free energy resources on the grid.
According to Google, the new agreement will extend the wind farm’s lifespan by at least four years beyond its original decommissioning date, making the deal the first corporate PPA to extend the lifespan of an offshore wind farm.
Google parent Alphabet announced a 24/7 CFE ambition in 2020, aiming to run its entire business on carbon-free energy by 2030. Operating on 24/7 CFE means matching electricity demand with CFE supply every hour of every day, in every region where the company operates. Google said that PPAs signed in recent years have helped support over 1 gigawatt of clean energy generation capacity in the Netherlands. That includes a series of Google PPAs signed in 2024 for more than 700 MW of clean energy.
In a post announcing the PPA, Enrique Frances, Senior Lead, Energy Strategy, EMEA at Google said:
“This investment in offshore wind reflects our broader commitment to a carbon-free future and our hope to inspire similar partnerships giving new life to clean energy assets facing retirement.”
