Constellation Signs Hourly Carbon-Free Energy Matching Agreement with Microsoft to Support a Clean-Powered Data Center

Landmark agreement combines the environmental attributes of nuclear power with hourly carbon-free energy matching to help a Virginia data center operate on nearly 100% clean power

June 29, 2023 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Constellation) (NASDAQ: CEG) today announced an agreement with Microsoft to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of one of Microsoft’s data centers in Boydton, Virginia. Under the agreement, the facility will receive up to 35 percent in environmental attributes from nuclear power, complementing the company’s new wind and solar purchases. This agreement puts Microsoft very close to its goal of operating the data center on 100 percent carbon-free electricity around the clock, further proof that hourly, regional matching of clean energy to demand is both practical and feasible today with suitable infrastructure and energy innovation.

Microsoft will track its performance using Constellation’s hourly carbon-free energy (CFE) matching platform, which delivers state-of-the-art accounting to demonstrate environmental results. Hourly CFE matching is a relatively new Constellation retail product offering that leverages software technology to help customers establish and achieve their environmental goals. Constellation is now leveraging its innovative Microsoft Azure-based hourly matching CFE platform and retail structuring expertise to design flexible and comprehensive retail solutions for customers looking to match their power demands with regional carbon-free energy around the clock.

>> Additional Reading: Constellation to File Comments Offering Support for New EPA Guidelines to Reduce Carbon Emissions From Power Plants

“Constellation and Microsoft have been working collaboratively for several years to pioneer this technology, so it is fitting that Microsoft is one of our first hourly CFE matching customers,” said Jim McHugh, executive vice president and chief Commercial Officer. “We are confident this agreement will demonstrate the value and impact of hourly matching in the fight to address the climate crisis.”

“Microsoft is proud to offer technology that enables other climate conscious companies to also reduce their carbon footprint,” said Adrian Anderson, general manager of renewable and carbon free energy at Microsoft. “Our collaboration with Constellation makes real-time matching of regional clean power generation and demand available to all companies that want to advance the energy transition.”

Prior to the evolution of hourly CFE matching, much of the clean energy that American companies procured to reduce their use of fossil-fueled generation was produced elsewhere, at a different time of day, month or even year. This approach offered no guarantee that clean, carbon-free power was being used, leaving many customers guessing about what resource mix actually met their needs. It also provided little to no incentive for developers to locate clean generation where power was needed.

To learn more how Hourly CFE matching is changing America’s energy landscape, click here.

About Constellation

Headquartered in Baltimore, Constellation Energy Corporation (Nasdaq: CEG) is the nation’s largest producer of clean, carbon-free energy and a leading supplier of energy products and services to businesses, homes, community aggregations and public sector customers across the continental United States, including three fourths of Fortune 100 companies. With annual output that is nearly 90% carbon-free, our hydro, wind and solar facilities paired with the nation’s largest nuclear fleet have the generating capacity to power the equivalent of 15 million homes, providing around 10% of the nation’s clean energy. We are further accelerating the nation’s transition to a carbon-free future by helping our customers reach their sustainability goals, setting our own ambitious goal of achieving 100% carbon-free generation by 2040, and by investing in promising emerging technologies to eliminate carbon emissions across all sectors of the economy. Follow Constellation on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Contacts
Paul Adams
Constellation Communications
410-470-9700
paul.adams@constellation.com