BP has announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft, with the two set to collaborate on further digital transformation in energy systems.
This will help to advance the net zero carbon goals of both companies, and will include a co-innovation effort targeting digital solutions, the use of Microsoft Azure as a cloud-based solution for BP infrastructure and BP supplying renewable energy to Microsoft.
The co-innovation effort will focus on four key areas; smart and clean cities, clean energy parks, consumer energy and industrial Internet of Things (IoT). Together they will work to identify synergies between Microsoft’s ‘Smart Cities’ initiative and BP’s ‘Clean Cities’ vision, and work together to help cities achieve their sustainability goals.
Their clean energy parks focus will look into the development of clean energy parks that will include an ecosystem of technologies such as carbon capture use and storage. They will explore ways to harness data-driven, personalised insights to allow energy consumers to manage their home energy use and reduce their emissions.
Microsoft Azure will be used to access a broad and deep portfolio of cloud services for BP, this will include machine learning using Azure Digital Twins, data analytics and security, helping the company to optimise it’s opportunities.
This follows BP’s commitment to become a net zero company by 2050, which it announced in February when Bernard Looney took over as CEO of the oil and gas giant. As part of this commitment, it is working to increase its share of renewables to 50GW, and cut its oil and gas production by 40%.
“BP is determined to get to net zero and to help the world do the same. No one can do it alone – partnerships with leading companies like Microsoft, with aligned ambitions, are going to be key to achieving this,” said William Lin, BP executive vice president for regions, cities & solutions.
“By bringing our complementary skills and experience together, we are not only helping each other achieve our decarbonisation ambitions but also creating opportunities to support others on their journey towards reducing carbon emissions.”
The company is currently hosting BP Week, with a series of talks discussing a number of aspects of the energy transition and following on from the publication of its Energy Outlook report on Monday 14 September.
Microsoft is also working to reduce its emissions, with the goal of being carbon negative by 2030, and then removing more carbon from the environment that it has emitted since it was founded by 2050.
Today’s announcement that BP will provide it with 100% renewable energy will support this goal, helping to power its operations in multiple countries and regions including the US, Europe and Latin America, helping its energy to be 100% renewable by 2025.
“BP shares our vision for a net zero carbon future, and we are committed to working together to drive reductions in carbon emissions and fulfil demand with new renewable energy sources,” said Judson Althoff, executive vice president of Microsoft’s Worldwide Commercial Business.
“A strategic partnership such as this enables each organization to bring its unique expertise for industry-leading change and the potential to positively impact billions of lives around the world.”
