SoSo CAD
Technical guideFree to read2026

Google Data Centers — Operating sustainably (energy and water)

Google

Google's page on its data centre energy and water strategy; water cooling is chosen where it lowers energy and carbon, balanced against local water risk.

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Overview

This Google page summarises its data centre energy and water strategy. The central principle is that water cooling is chosen where it lowers energy and carbon compared with air-cooled chillers, with the trade-off evaluated per campus and balanced against local water risk and the use of non-potable sources. The page also restates fleet PUE and the net-zero and 24/7 CFE goals.

Water metrics: 87% of 2025 freshwater withdrawal came from sources at low or medium depletion/scarcity risk. Water stewardship projects replenished about 7.7 billion gallons in 2025, roughly 78% of freshwater consumption. On energy, more than 240 agreements for about 35 GW of new clean energy were signed in 2010-2025, with over 12 GW contracted in 2025 alone. Withdrawal and replenishment are different quantities; the replenishment share is set against consumption, not withdrawal.

The climate target is to cut combined Scope 1, Scope 2 (market-based) and Scope 3 emissions by 50% versus 2019 by 2030. The figures are the company's statements and the 87% share is withdrawal-based, so it is not directly comparable with consumption-based WUE. The page illustrates that an evaporative cooling decision must weigh its PUE gain against its water cost. Related standards are ISO/IEC 30134-9 and the GHG Protocol.

Key points

  1. 87% of 2025 freshwater withdrawal from sources at low or medium depletion/scarcity risk.
  2. Water stewardship projects replenished about 7.7 billion gallons in 2025 (about 78% of freshwater consumption).
  3. More than 240 agreements for about 35 GW of new clean energy in 2010-2025; over 12 GW contracted in 2025.
  4. 2030 net-zero target: cut combined Scope 1, 2 (market-based) and 3 emissions 50% versus 2019.
  5. Water cooling is chosen where it reduces energy/carbon versus air-cooled chillers; trade-off evaluated per campus.

Using it in design

  • In the cooling-selection UX present an explicit energy-versus-water trade-off (PUE versus WUE) per site, with a water-stress input (for example a WRI Aqueduct category).
  • Default to non-evaporative cooling when the site is in high water stress unless the user overrides.
  • When showing WUE, label whether it is withdrawal-based or consumption-based.

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Who should read it

Designers balancing energy against water while choosing a cooling technology.

Related standards

  • ISO/IEC 30134-9
  • GHG Protocol

Publication details

Authors
Google
Publisher
Google
Year
2026
Document language
English
Source type
Expert / community
Access
Free to read
Licence
Copyright retained; citation only — the publisher’s terms apply to the original document

Citation

Google (2026). Google Data Centers — Operating sustainably (energy and water). Google. https://datacenters.google/operating-sustainably/

WaterSustainabilityEnergyCooling

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