Microsoft

Recent news

• Sep 8, 2026

  Behind Google's Contract for Geothermal Instead of Solar Is the Premium Available For Firm Power

  Google has announced a 396 MW geothermal power deal with Fervo Energy, with an option to expand to nearly 1 GW by June 2030.

  • The deal was signed on August 26 and sources enhanced geothermal power from Cape Station, Utah, United States; delivery is planned in four tranches of 99 MW starting in Q3 2028 under a 15-year term with parent guarantees from Fervo and Alphabet.
  • The article is an analysis/commentary on why hyperscalers are paying for firm, 24/7 power; it references Google’s broader contracted portfolio, India’s data-centre power demand estimates, and the potential role of solar + BESS, hybrid wind-solar-storage, and RTC tenders.
  • It does not present a new India-specific project announcement; instead, it argues that data-centre buyers may favor round-the-clock clean power over the cheapest intermittent renewable supply.
• Sep 7, 2026

  Sovereign cloud, managed services: how French providers are rewriting the rules for European mid-market IT

  The article argues that cloud sovereignty has become a procurement criterion for European mid-market CIOs, while highlighting Jiliti as an example of a provider expanding its sovereign managed cloud footprint.

  • The piece says NIS2, DORA, and the proposed Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA) are changing cloud purchasing decisions in Europe, with requirements around auditability, data location, and reversibility.
  • It highlights Jiliti as a French provider that integrated Naitways in 2025 and opened points of presence in Frankfurt and Milan in March 2026; it also cites market figures of €61 billion in European cloud infrastructure revenues in 2024 and over €75 billion expected in 2025.
• Sep 5, 2026

  Civil Rights Groups Urge Halt to South Africa Data Center Boom Amid Water and Power Fears

  South African civil rights groups have called for a halt to additional data center construction until the use of scarce water, land, and electricity resources is investigated.

  • The South African Human Rights Commission said it received over 250 submissions after calling for input in May 2026 and is examining electricity, water demand, land use, and environmental impacts tied to data centers.
  • The article cites a proposed Equinix hyperscale facility in Cape Town requiring an estimated 160 megawatts of electricity, while noting Eskom reported a power surplus and operators say most data centers increasingly rely on renewable energy.
• Sep 5, 2026

  Global bond sell-off exposes the cost of high debt

  Policy Circle has published an analysis of how rising oil prices, inflation, and heavy borrowing are driving a global government bond sell-off.

  • The article argues that Brent crude above $95 and renewed US-Iran fighting are lifting inflation expectations, pushing US, Japanese, British, and German yields higher, and forcing markets to price in further central bank tightening.
  • It also highlights larger structural pressures: higher sovereign debt, rising defence and pension costs, and competition from technology firms issuing debt for AI/data centres, including about $220 billion from five large tech companies this year.
  • For India, the piece says near 89% crude import dependence makes the economy vulnerable to oil shocks, while the 2036 bond yield was around 6.95% and the RBI’s buffers can only soften volatility, not eliminate imported-energy costs.
• Sep 2, 2026

  ONE Nuclear Energy executes LOI for 2.88GWh BESS and gas plant co-located with Louisiana data centre

  ONE Nuclear Energy has announced a binding letter of intent to develop Project Cayman, a 2.88GW natural gas plant and 700MW/2.88GWh battery energy storage system co-located with a high-capacity data centre campus in Louisiana.

  • The LOI was executed on 31 August with an unnamed prominent Louisiana landowner group for the Project Cayman site near RiverPlex MegaPark and northeast of SpaceX’s recently announced infrastructure development.
  • ONE Nuclear said the project supports Entergy’s transmission expansion, and that community outreach will run from September through December with public information meetings involving local parishes, agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Sep 2, 2026

  Could Fiber Be the Next Big Bottleneck in Data Center Growth?

  This article is commentary and analysis about fiber connectivity as a data center infrastructure constraint, not a first-time announcement by a specific company.

  • It argues that enterprise-grade fiber is becoming as important as power and water for data center growth, citing Zayo’s 2025 Bandwidth Report and noting data center bandwidth purchased grew about 330% in the early 2020s.
  • It suggests operators prioritize fiber availability, map competitive demand, and use incentives with carriers; it also mentions AWS SiteLink and Azure ExpressRoute Global Reach as alternative connectivity options.
• Sep 1, 2026

  Meeting AI Demand: Alternate Power, Design, and Site Strategy

  The article discusses how AI is reshaping data center design, site selection, and power strategy; it is an explanatory industry article, not a first-time company announcement.

  • It says AI data center power demand in the United States could grow more than thirtyfold by 2035, reaching up to 123 GW, and cites Deloitte’s 2025 AI Infrastructure Survey.
  • It describes design and siting strategies including on-site generation, small modular reactors (SMRs), fuel cells, batteries, renewable energy, and off-grid or behind-the-meter power arrangements for hyperscale clients such as Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Google.
  • Quotes are attributed to Chris Hastings of Vanderweil Engineers, Dutch Wickes of Ci Design, Inc., and Mason McPike of Provident Data Centers.
• Aug 31, 2026

  Landlords flex rental power as data center viability becomes ‘everybody’s problem’

  Facilities Dive reports that rapid data center development is changing lease negotiations, with landlords and lenders pushing for more favorable contract terms and greater attention to financing and future upgrade needs.

  • CBRE said primary market supply in H1 2026 rose 33.7% YoY to 10,903 MW, while vacancy fell to 1.4% as new capacity was absorbed immediately; under-construction capacity rose 24.8% to 7,481 MW.
  • Peter Bergan of Vinson & Elkins said hyperscale and neocloud leases are becoming more finance-driven, with termination rights being removed or limited and developers focusing on shell design, power, and rack/load capacity for future growth.
  • The article cites CBRE’s midyear report, released Aug. 27, and discusses North American market conditions, including community resistance, zoning delays, and power/fiber constraints.
• Aug 31, 2026

  Nvidia, MediaTek Bring Custom Chips to AI Racks

  Nvidia has announced that it is opening its rack-scale AI infrastructure and NVLink Fusion technology to custom accelerators from hyperscalers and other AI developers, and it has expanded its partnership with MediaTek to support pre-validated custom XPU designs.

  • The platform lets customers design custom XPUs on a pre-validated NVLink Fusion foundation and integrate them into Nvidia-connected AI factory infrastructure built around the MGX ecosystem.
  • Nvidia also invested $3.5 billion in convertible bonds issued by MediaTek; the companies did not name any customers or announce specific data center deployments.
  • The broader context is Nvidia’s effort to make NVLink interoperable beyond its own processors, while rival approaches include Ethernet and UALink; the MediaTek partnership also extends to local AI computing and automotive systems.
• Aug 31, 2026

  Noise lawsuit is latest in legal wave hitting data center operations

  Microsoft has been sued in federal district court over alleged noise nuisance from its Fairwater data center in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin.

  • The proposed class action claims a low-level hum from cooling systems and generators is not captured by dBA monitors, and asks for millions in compensation for residents.
  • The article says this is one of several noise-related lawsuits filed this year against data centers; similar cases have been filed in Mississippi, New Jersey, Michigan, New York, and Texas, while an environmental nuisance case against Amazon reportedly settled for more than $20 million.
• Aug 28, 2026

  Roundup: Femme Executive Health / Vintage fest / Microsoft employee concerns

  Microsoft has addressed employee concerns about the environmental and community impacts of its expanding data center network.

  • The company said AI growth has made its emissions goals harder to meet, and it is highlighting energy efficiency, water-use improvements, and plans for up to 40 gigawatts of renewable power.
  • The article says Microsoft’s emissions rose 25% in 2025 amid data center expansion, and that the company is facing growing opposition to data centers; this is presented as a recent response, not a first-time project announcement.
• Aug 28, 2026

  Data centers face backlash, but unions are fighting for the jobs they create

  The Wall Street Journal reports on a growing backlash against U.S. data center construction and the resulting political fight over jobs.

  • Public opposition has centered on electricity costs, water consumption, noise, and in some cases tax breaks used to attract data center investment.
  • Construction unions are pushing back as politicians slow approvals or increase oversight ahead of the 2026 midterm elections; unions are also threatening to withhold campaign support from politicians who oppose these projects.
  • Technology companies including Meta, OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft have partnered with unions and invested in training skilled workers because labor shortages are a major challenge for the AI industry.
  • The article also notes that white-collar labor groups are more concerned about AI’s effects on job quality and employment.
• Aug 28, 2026

  EVA Air, AIT and Microsoft launch two year SAF programme using used cooking oil

  EVA Air, AIT Worldwide Logistics and Microsoft have announced a two-year programme to promote the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from used cooking oil.

  • The initiative is expected to reduce around 15 thsd tons of CO₂ from Microsoft’s supply chain in the first year.
  • Formosa Petrochemical will produce the SAF from used cooking oil; the fuel is ISCC-certified and is said to cut lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by around 80% versus conventional jet fuel.
  • EVA Air will provide Microsoft with SAF environmental attributes linked to flights departing from Taiwan, enabling Microsoft to account for Scope 3 reductions from air freight tied to cloud infrastructure equipment.
  • The article also says EVA Air has used SAF on flights departing Asia, Europe and North America since 2025, and has a five-year SAF procurement agreement with Formosa Petrochemical.
• Aug 28, 2026

  AI Rack Density’s Real Limits: Power, Cooling, Failure Risk

  The article analyzes how AI is pushing data center rack density higher and argues that cooling, power delivery, and grid access now set the main limits on AI rack design.

  • It cites Uptime Institute data showing modal rack density rose to 11 kW in 2026 from 9 kW in 2025, while Nvidia GB300 NVL72 reaches up to 142 kW per rack and Rubin Ultra NVL576 “Kyber” is specified at roughly 600 kW for H2 2027.
  • It says direct-to-chip liquid cooling now handles 100-150 kW per rack and is the dominant liquid method; 800 VDC is shipping with Vera Rubin NVL72, and vendors including Vertiv, Schneider Electric, Eaton, and Delta have commercial 800 VDC offerings slated for H2 2026. It also references Foxconn’s 40 MW Kaohsiung-1 facility in Taiwan, the Open Compute Project Mount Diablo specification finalized in March 2026, and Microsoft/Meta hardware demonstrations in July 2026.