Google taps households to power data centers with distributed home energy

Google has struck a three-year deal with Voltus to draw electricity from thousands of U.S. households—via devices like smart thermostats and home batteries—to power its data centers. The plan would aggregate up to about 100 MW annually across the PJM grid, supplementing centralized plants rather than replacing them. Participation is voluntary and scale is uncertain, but the approach could reduce traditional generation needs while Google keeps larger-scale options on the table.