French multinational energy firm Total has partnered with technology firm Microsoft to further digital transformation and support each other’s decarbonisation progress.
Both companies will leverage each other’s technologies and expertise to accelerate their digital transformation and decarbonisation efforts.
Microsoft and net-zero target
For instance, Microsoft will take advantage of Total’s global presence and market knowledge to support its sustainability objectives, including its 2025 target for renewable energy.
Total’s ambition is to reach 35 GW of renewable electricity capacity in 2025 and then nearly 100 GW in 2030. Total will assist Microsoft to secure renewable energy through power purchase agreements (PPAs). A first PPA of 47 MW has been agreed for Microsoft’s Spanish operations.
Total will also help Microsoft to improve its energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint in datacenters.
Microsoft has set a target to eliminate its dependency on diesel fuel by 2030, a development which the company will leverage Saft’s (a subsidiary of Total) expertise in developing a long-term roadmap to diesel-free operations.
Microsoft will pilot the use of Total’s portfolio of onsite backup energy assets, including:
Large-scale batteries to displace diesel gensets. These batteries will be used to eliminate dependency on diesel fuel, which is used in generators to provide backup power for data centers.
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Batteries play a critical role within Microsoft’s datacenter infrastructure. Saft batteries will provide additional values to help Microsoft improve its specifications to its UPS suppliers and ultimately meet its sustainability goal. Those values are energy savings, higher safety, lower Cobalt, and a self-powered monitoring system to ensure optimized system availability.
Total’s digital transformation journey
To accelerate its IT transformation, Total will make use of Microsoft’s cloud platforms including Azure for its digital transformation projects and for its Digital Factory.
Total will broaden and enrich its existing modern workplace environment, based on Microsoft Office 365 which will provide collaboration and productivity solutions for its employees and its operations. Total will also explore the value of the Power Platform to automate business processes, reduce cost and allow easier access to data for its citizen developers.
The two companies have also agreed to cooperate on research and development of emerging technologies critical to a net-zero pathway and digital solutions that can accelerate their adoption.
Patrick Pouyanné, the CEO of Total, said: “The rapid development of Total and Microsoft in their areas of expertise brings many opportunities of cooperation for both companies, who are at the forefront of the fight against climate change.
“We are committed to bringing our expertise by selling green electricity to support Microsoft in achieving its sustainability goals, and we’re pleased to rely on Microsoft’s cloud and AI solutions to accelerate our digital transformation. This is fundamental to drive progress towards a world with net-zero emissions.”
Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft, adds: “We have an enormous opportunity to use advances in digital technology to reduce greenhouse emissions.
“Our strategic partnership with Total will apply the comprehensive power of Microsoft cloud platforms to accelerate Total’s transition to new energies and to meet sustainability goals.”
