Microsoft announced several new actions the company is taking towards reaching its goal of net zero carbon by 2030, including the introduction of a new platform providing cloud customers with carbon measurement tools.

Earlier this year, the tech giant committed itself to ambitious climate-related targets including becoming “carbon negative” by 2030, and by 2050 removing all the carbon the company has contributed to the environment since its founding in 1975. Today’s announcement provides details on some of the initiatives the company is taking to reach these targets, including:

• Formation of Transform to Net Zero. Earlier this week, Microsoft announced that it is entering a coalition with other leading companies across several sectors to work to accelerate business action toward a net zero carbon economy. Transform To Net Zero will work to enable all businesses to achieve net zero emissions by “sharing the business transformation each company is undertaking to achieve net zero emissions by 2050; delivering robust emission reductions across the business and value chains; working jointly with our partners across supply chains; innovating and investing at scale in products, services and business models that amplify impact; and engaging with policymakers to incentivize progress toward net zero. Importantly, the coalition will also focus on ensuring that the coming transition to a low-carbon economy is an equitable and just one.”
• Introducing the Microsoft Sustainability Calculator. Microsoft is introducing a new product for cloud customers that will provide them with transparency into their total carbon emissions – Scopes 1, 2 and 3 – resulting from their cloud usage, using AI and advanced analytics. The Microsoft Sustainability Calculator provides actionable insights on how to reduce emissions, the ability to forecast emissions, and simplifies carbon reporting.
• Eliminating diesel. Microsoft uses diesel-powered generators for backup power to support data center operations. The company announced plans to work to replace this with low-carbon fuel sources, including hydrogen and energy storage. The company also announced the extension of its internal carbon tax to every part of our operations, including Scope 3, and will begin requiring suppliers to calculate and report their Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions data.
• New steps to remove emissions. Microsoft announced that it will issue an RFP to source that carbon removal from a range of nature- and technology-based solutions that are net negative and verified to a high degree of scientific integrity.
• Investments and partnerships. The company announced its first investment from the $1 billion Climate Innovation Fund – a $50 million investment in Energy Impact Partners’ (EIP) global platform for innovation of new technologies to transform the world’s energy and transportation systems. The company also announced a new partnership with Sol Systems, a renewable energy developer and investor, for 500 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy that includes investments in communities disproportionately affected by environmental challenges.