Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) goal of reaching carbon-negative emissions by 2030 is in danger due to a combination of power-draining data centers and the limited supply of “clean electricity” in some East Asian nations, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Ken Haig, Microsoft’s senior director of government affairs in Japan, said the company is competing “for a very small pie of available renewable power today” in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, the report said. The struggle is also being felt by chip producers in the region. Emissions related to semiconductor production increased by 300% in 2024.
Despite big tech working for years to “decarbonize” operations, the rise of AI data centers and advanced chip demand has put pressure on limited renewable power sources, the report said. For example, Microsoft’s “planet-warming impact” has increased by 23% over the past five years.
“We need our suppliers also to be getting onto 100% carbon-free energy,” said Haig.