2026 standard
Hourly Matching & 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy
Hourly matching proves that every MWh consumed is generated, at the same hour and on the same grid, by a carbon-free source. It's the new standard set by Google (24/7 CFE 2030) and Microsoft (100/100/0).
Why it's critical for data centers
A data center runs 24/7. A solar-only PPA covers < 30% of hours. Annual matching (100% renewable on a yearly basis) hides the fact that nighttime consumption is carbon-heavy. 24/7 CFE forces diversification: solar + wind + hydro + storage.
CFE score — how to compute it
CFE Score = Σ (carbon-free MWh delivered at hour h) / Σ (MWh consumed at hour h)
Target: > 90% by 2028, 100% by 2030. The European market average currently caps at 65-70%.
The levers
- Multi-tech portfolio (solar FR + wind DE + hydro NO)
- Co-located batteries (2-4h storage)
- Granular Guarantees of Origin (G-GOs) — see our GoO page
- Demand response: shift non-critical workloads (AI training, batch)