Each quarter, Microsoft gives out an Environmental Sustainability Action Award, along with a donation to an environmental charity of the winner’s choice, in recognition of an employee or team who has shown leadership, exemplifying how Microsoft and its employees can have a positive impact.
For Q4 of FY14, we are pleased to honor Brian Janous, director of energy strategy in Microsoft’s Global Foundation Services, who has spearheaded the development of Microsoft’s energy strategy for datacenters. From the nearly 285MW of wind power, to an experimental waste-driven data center, to a micro fuel cell project, to many more projects under examination, Brian and his team are helping drive innovations in energy supply and creation.
Brian and his team have been at the forefront of helping drive a culture of discovery and innovation that will reduce the resources needed to power our cloud. He and his team’s work not only helps Microsoft to reduce its carbon footprint, but also helps us move toward our objective of transforming the energy supply chain toward radically greater efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
Brian’s vision and leadership has led to two long-term power purchase agreements within the last fiscal year, including Microsoft’s 20-year agreement to purchase of all of the energy from the Keechi Wind project, a 110 MW wind facility in Texas. The second agreement, announced in July, was with EDF Renewable Energy, the Pilot Hill Wind Project. This is another 20 year agreement, but this project is for the purchase of up to 175MW, which is enough to meet the power needs of 70,000 homes.
Environmental Sustainability Action Award winners show leadership and provide inspiring examples of how Microsoft and its employees can have a positive impact and change not only the way we run our business, but also the way our products and services can make a difference for our customers, our partners, and for society.