Google expands data center energy storage and faces environmental scrutiny

Google is implementing several strategic initiatives regarding its data center infrastructure, focusing on both energy storage technology and regional expansion efforts.

The company is investing $350 million in zinc-based battery technology to support its data centers. This system is designed to store electricity generated by solar parks during the day for use at night, aiming to provide a 24-hour clean energy supply. The infrastructure will combine long-duration zinc batteries with existing lithium systems to reduce reliance on conventional energy sources.

In Chile, Google is attempting to reactivate a data center project in Cerrillos. Local environmental groups, including the Latin American Observatory of Environmental Conflicts (OLCA) and the Community Socio-Environmental Movement for Water and Territory (MOSACAT), are demanding a strict environmental review. These groups argue that the company is attempting to present a materially identical project as “new” to bypass previous judicial rulings and environmental assessments regarding water usage from the Santiago Central Aquifer.