Microsoft

Recent news

• Jun 15, 2026

  APAC data centres risk a fossil fuel dependency long-duration energy storage can help end

  Pavina Adunratanasee of ArkTerra Partners argues APAC’s AI data centre buildout risks locking the region into long-term coal and gas dependency without long-duration energy storage solutions.

  • Main announcement/argument: ArkTerra Partners warns that 24.2GW of announced data centre capacity (2025–2030) across nine APAC markets could drive ~166 million tonnes CO2e/year by 2030 on a business-as-usual grid; cites hyperscaler commitments including Microsoft’s A$25 billion (US$18 billion) pledge to Australia through 2029 and Amazon’s A$20 billion commitment, and highlights recent deals (Meta–Noon: up to 1GW/100GWh with a 25MW pilot by 2028; Bloom–Oracle: up to 2.8GW on-site fuel cells with 1.2GW deployed; Google–Voltus: 100MW BYOC VPP over three years).
  • Background and concrete constraints: Points to regulatory and resource risks (Johor state deferring water-cooled approvals until mid-2027; ~9GW AI-ready capacity with legacy cooling could use ~18 billion litres/year), explains that gas peakers (~US$30/MWh marginal cost) and long coal retirements extend fossil lock-in, and concludes the core barrier is a project development capital gap at pre-feasibility for first-of-a-kind storage projects.
• Jun 12, 2026

  Amazon claims its data centers are 7x more water-efficient than the industry average

  Amazon has published new water-efficiency figures for its global data center operations, positioning the company ahead of rivals on WUE and disclosing methods and regional practices.

  • Main announcement: Amazon says it achieved a 52% improvement in water efficiency over the last 5 years, reporting a WUE of 0.12 L/kWh in 2025 (compared with an industry average of 0.84 L/kWh), claims its data centers are 7x more water-efficient than the industry average, and reports returning 3 US gallons to communities for every 4 gallons used, stating it is 75% of the way to a water-positive 2030 goal. It attributes gains to free air cooling (~90% of the time), evaporative cooling, raised operating temperature thresholds (85° F), and use of reclaimed water across 130 facilities (26 using reclaimed water exclusively).
  • Context and background: The figures were published amid increased disclosure pressure and two days after Seattle imposed a one-year freeze on new large data centers citing water concerns; the article references competitor WUE figures (Microsoft 0.27 L/kWh in 2025, Google ~1.15 L/kWh, Meta ~0.20 L/kWh) and highlights industry discussion on metrics (WUE, PUE ~1.15 for Amazon), regional disclosure commitments, and emerging dynamics due to AI infrastructure and location-specific water constraints.
• Jun 11, 2026

  China, US To Control 69% Of Global Data Center Capacity By 2030, Forecasts GlobalData

  GlobalData forecasts that China and the United States will together account for about 69% of global data centre capacity by 2030, based on its latest market report.

  • Main announcement: GlobalData’s report titled “Powering Data Centers Market Report: Power Consumption, Capacity, PUE and Project Pipeline Analysis and Country Ranking Forecast to 2030” projects global data centre power consumption to triple between 2024 and 2030 at a CAGR of 21.1%, with China’s installed share rising (e.g., 27% to 35% in installed capacity) and the US share falling (e.g., 42% to 34% in installed capacity), resulting in China + US ≈ 69% of capacity by 2030.
  • Background and details: The report cites drivers such as AI-driven high-density GPU workloads, cloud and hybrid adoption, and hyperscale/colocation expansion; it gives 2024 power-consumption shares of US 38% and China 24.2%, and forecasts China’s power share to ~30.1% (rising toward 33.6% by decade end). It references policy actions (US Executive Order, July 2025; China national strategy, Feb 2022) and highlights growth markets including India, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
• Jun 10, 2026

  Google Cloud Faces Network Disruptions In India After Fire At Third-Party Data Centre

  Google Cloud reported network disruptions in India after a fire at a third-party data centre triggered an emergency shutdown.

  • Main announcement: Google Cloud reported that a fire at a third-party data centre forced an emergency power shutdown, isolating a non-compute local ‘Point of Presence’ (PoP) in Delhi on June 9, 2026 at 11:22 PDT (23:52 IST); the incident reduced available network capacity in Delhi and affected traffic from Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and surrounding regions.
  • Actions and details: Google Cloud rerouted significant traffic from the affected facility, warned that a subset of hybrid connectivity and VPC customers may still face intermittent latency spikes and packet loss, said it is exploring traffic mitigation measures and Internet Edge peering augmentation, and noted there is currently no workaround available.
• Jun 9, 2026

  Inside Shapiro’s effort to court tech companies to build data centers in Pa.

  Governor Josh Shapiro announced that Amazon planned to invest at least $20 billion to build data center campuses in Pennsylvania.

  • Main announcement & immediate details: Governor Shapiro publicly touted an Amazon investment of at least $20 billion and promised more than a thousand high‑paying jobs; public records show the Commonwealth offered Amazon “exclusive early access” to a forthcoming SPEED permitting program (emails dated April 2025) and some communications were labeled “subject to a non-disclosure agreement.”
  • Context, timelines and policy actions: In 2026 the administration released the GRID Standards (full grid standards press release) proposing requirements that data centers bring their own power or pay for new generation, hire and train local workers, and meet environmental protection standards; the legislature has introduced measures this year to repeal or amend existing data center tax breaks and the Pennsylvania state House has passed two measures on data center regulation. Public records were obtained by a local activist via freedom of information / public records requests.
• Jun 9, 2026

  Hydrogen’s Hurdles, Fuel Cells’ Rise in Data Center Power

  DataCenterKnowledge publishes a final installment reviewing less-mature or emerging alternatives to diesel generators for data center backup power, focusing on hydrogen backup, fuel cells, and renewable fuels.

  • Main coverage: The article assesses hydrogen engines and fuel cells and renewable diesel as diesel alternatives, noting concrete deployments and pilots: NorthC Datacenters ordered six Jenbacher hydrogen engines in the Netherlands (dual-gas for short hydrogen outages), Microsoft piloted a 3 MW hydrogen fuel cell in Latham, NY, and Bloom Energy signed a $5 billion strategic partnership with Brookfield to accelerate fuel cell capacity. It highlights the Dutch ~300 km national hydrogen network repurposed from natural gas pipelines and Microsoft’s prior 2030 diesel elimination pledge as context.
  • Background & policy details: The piece notes regulatory movement with the US EPA removing proposed hydrogen co-firing mandates from its NSPS (earlier draft had ramped to 96% by 2038), cites cost and infrastructure constraints for hydrogen (production, transport, storage, permitting), and points out that fuel cells running on natural gas/biogas are identified as the most likely near-term scalable solution for behind-the-meter AI power needs.
• Jun 8, 2026

  Will the EU’s Data Center Efficiency Rules Undermine Its AI Ambitions?

  The European Commission has introduced the European Technological Sovereignty Package.

  • Main announcement: The European Commission introduced the European Technological Sovereignty Package, including Chips Act 2.0, the Cloud and AI Development Act, and a Strategic Roadmap for Digitalization and AI in the Energy Sector; the package includes a data centre rating scheme covering energy and water efficiency, clean energy use, waste heat reuse and compliance with minimum EU energy performance standards. Adoption and timelines: the rating scheme was adopted in 2026, with first labels in 2027 and minimum EU energy performance standards in 2027, and 14 EU industry associations signed a declaration of intent alongside the roadmap.

  • Context and industry response: Data centre industry groups led by the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) voiced concerns that efficiency reporting, labeling and prescriptive targets could raise costs and deter AI/digital investment; reporting requirements build on the European Energy Directive (EED) (which mandates PUE and WUE reporting).

    • Event: Datacloud Global Congress 2026 — held in Cannes, France (2026); included presentations from Meta and Microsoft, panels with EUDCA and industry experts where these concerns were discussed.
    • Industry actions: the sector attempted self-regulation via the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact but acknowledged it did not prevent upcoming regulation.
• Jun 5, 2026

  Google commits to replenish more water than it uses by 2030

  Google announced a goal to replenish more water than it uses by 2030 and committed $17 million to water stewardship projects across seven U.S. states.

  • Main announcement: Google committed to replenish more water than it uses by 2030, is investing $17 million in new water stewardship projects across Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas, and is reviewing 700+ RFI submissions to identify early-concept projects eligible for co-funding that can come online before 2030. The announcement was published in a company blog (June 3) by Google leaders Bikash Koley and Ben Townsend, and Google reported replenishing over 7 billion gallons in 2025 and expects to replenish over 19 billion gallons by 2030 through its stewardship projects.
  • Background and implementation details: Google currently has 165 water stewardship projects across 97 watersheds and pledged to help local utilities modernize infrastructure, report annual water consumption, and use air cooling or recycled/alternative water in at-risk areas (noting Google states water cooling uses ~10% less energy than air cooling). Google joined the Data Center Innovation Initiative with Amazon, Meta and Microsoft to pilot sustainable data center technologies. Independent findings cited include Berkeley Lab data on U.S. data center water use (66 billion liters direct in 2023; 60–124 billion liters projected direct use by 2028 for hyperscale centers; ~800 billion liters indirect via electricity in 2023), and reports from Ceres and WRI on uneven corporate progress and global water stress.
• Jun 4, 2026

  Google Launches 1-GW-Plus Co-Located Data Center and Generation Complex in Texas Panhandle

  Google and Intersect have launched construction on the Meitner Energy Center, a co-located data center and generation complex in the Texas Panhandle (Gray and Roberts Counties) that will integrate more than 1 GW of wind, solar and battery storage with on-site gas-fired generation for reliability firming.

  • Main announcement: Google and Intersect began construction on the Meitner Energy Center in Gray and Roberts Counties, Texas, a co-located data center + generation complex designed to deliver more than 1 GW of wind/solar/battery with on-site gas firming; the Google data center will use air-cooling (no evaporative cooling) and Google is establishing the Caprock Workforce Hub (an 800-acre managed residential facility intended to house up to 3,500 workers) to support construction. The site’s power is intended to be provided majority from clean energy on Day One, with a minority share firmed by on-site gas; Google referenced its $10 million Texas Water Impact Fund in relation to water stewardship.
  • Background and other details: Alphabet closed its acquisition of Intersect in March 2026 for $4.75 billion in cash plus assumed debt; prior partnerships included a >$800 million funding round led by Google and TPG Rise Climate tied to a targeted $20 billion in renewable infrastructure through the decade. The article also cites Google’s broader $40 billion Texas investment commitment through 2027, prior and new PPAs (e.g., Clearway ~1.17 GW, TotalEnergies 1 GW, Sunraycer ~400 MW, Linea 500 MW), the Quantum project (640 MW solar / 1.3 GWh storage scheduled to start operations June 2026), and Google’s commitments such as training 1,700 electrical apprentices by 2030 and a $30 million Texas Energy Impact Fund (first recipients announced May 2026).
• Jun 4, 2026

  From Data Centers to Models: White House Targets AI Risk at the Source

  The White House issued an executive order directing federal agencies to establish a voluntary process for pre-release evaluation of “frontier” AI models that could pose risks to national security or critical infrastructure.

  • Main action: The order creates a voluntary federal review framework for frontier models (large foundation and reasoning models) to allow government evaluation before public release when systems could affect critical infrastructure, financial networks, government operations, healthcare, emergency services, or national security; the order does not create mandatory licensing or permitting requirements and emphasizes participation is voluntary.
  • Background and implementation details:NIST CAISI has agreements with Google DeepMind, Microsoft, xAI, Anthropic, and OpenAI to conduct pre-deployment evaluations that examine capabilities including cybersecurity, biosecurity, and chemical hazards; the order signals implications for data centers (demand for secure pre-release test environments, strict access controls, telemetry, audit capabilities), and federal actions include the DOE identifying 16 federal sites for data center support and the NLR’s Agora testbed for grid integration.
• Jun 4, 2026

  From Data Centers to Models: White House Targets AI Risk at the Source

  The White House has issued an executive order directing federal agencies to establish a voluntary review process for certain “frontier” AI models before public release.

  • Main announcement: The executive order directs federal agencies to create a voluntary review framework for frontier AI systems that could pose risks to national security or critical infrastructure, asking agencies to evaluate models prior to public release and to coordinate across government. The order does not create mandatory licensing, permitting, or pre-clearance requirements and emphasizes voluntary participation by developers.
  • Background and implementation details: The order builds on existing testing agreements—NIST/CAISI has announced pre-deployment evaluations with Google DeepMind, Microsoft, xAI, Anthropic, and OpenAI; the Department of Energy (DOE) has identified 16 federal sites that could support data centers and energy infrastructure; agencies are focused on emergent capabilities (cybersecurity, biosecurity, chemical weapons) and on requirements for secure test environments, access controls, telemetry, and audit capabilities.
• Jun 4, 2026

  Data Center Developers Bring Biodiversity to Life in Site Selection

  Vantage Data Centers and Ramboll have used biodiversity modeling to shape design of the proposed 672-acre Lighthouse Campus in Port Washington, Wisconsin, projecting up to a 60% increase in biodiversity relative to the site’s baseline ecological condition, as reported in environmental review documents filed with Wisconsin regulators.

  • Main action: Vantage and Ramboll applied Ramboll’s Americas Biodiversity Metric during pre-construction design to guide native prairie conversion, wetland enhancement, pollinator-focused landscaping, ecological stormwater features, and habitat restoration; the modeling moved the target from an initial 40% biodiversity increase toward a modeled 60% potential improvement.
  • Background and context: The analysis is part of environmental review filings with Wisconsin regulators and is presented as a design-guiding tool (used during site selection and due diligence) rather than a final, legally mandated commitment; the metric is informed by biodiversity net-gain methodologies used in the United Kingdom and adoption in North America remains voluntary and variable.
• Jun 3, 2026

  New Data Center Developments: June 2026

  Data Center Knowledge has published a monthly roundup of global data center developments.

  • Highlights include: CloudBurst breaking ground on a 1.2 GW flagship campus in Central Texas; Nvidia partnering with IREN to deploy up to 5 GW of global AI infrastructure with Texas’ Sweetwater as a flagship site; Prime Data Centers breaking ground on SMF02 (150,000 sq.ft, 18 MW IT load) in Sacramento; Applied Digital planning Delta Forge 1 — $3.6 billion, 300-acre AI campus in Boyce, Louisiana; Hive Digital/Buzz HPC planning an ~320 MW AI facility in the Greater Toronto Area.
  • Additional concrete items and timelines: SoftBank plans up to €75 billion to develop 5 GW in France (targeting 3.1 GW by 2031); Ardian & Verne’s €5 billion digital campus (500 MW, with 200+ MW by 2030); TotalEnergies’ €100 million Pangea 5 supercomputer investment; Arcem’s Joroinen site delivering 60 MW by 2027 and 100 MW by 2029; CDC Data Centres’ 555 MW contract to be delivered with operations commencing in FY28 and FY29. All items are factual summaries from the article.
• Jun 3, 2026

  Senior Project Engineer SCADA Networking

  Hitachi India Pvt Ltd has posted a job opening for Senior Project Engineer SCADA Networking.

  • Position details:Senior Project Engineer SCADA Networking at Hitachi India Pvt Ltd based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India; Experience required:13+ years; Qualification:Bachelor/Master in ECE / EEE / E&I; Employment Type: Full time; Apply Link:https://www.hitachienergy.com/careers/open-jobs/details/JID3-196879
  • Role scope and requirements: Focus on HMI/SCADA application development (Micro SCADA / Zenon), SCADA network architecture for AC Substation and HVDC projects, hands-on IT infrastructure (routers, firewalls, switches, servers); responsibilities include FAT / SAT, commissioning support, regulatory compliance; preferred certifications CCNA, CCNP, Cyber Security.