In September, Microsoft announced a new commitment to run its data centers on 50 percent renewable energy sources by 2018, and to increase its use of renewables in its data centers by 60 percent by the early 2020s.

Microsoft has already been powering its global operations, which include manufacturing, logistics and licensing, on 100 percent renewable energy since 2014.

Rob Bernard, Microsoft's chief environmental and cities strategist, announced these new goals at VERGE16, a clean tech convention.

"Already, we are seeing cloud-based technologies make a meaningful impact around the world," Bernard said in a September 21 blog. "The cloud is helping companies and communities tackle water scarcity, reduce fuel consumption by public transportation, adopt clean energy like solar power, improve food resiliency in a changing climate, and understand and predict changes in the ocean."

He continued: "As we begin to tap the power of the cloud to address these challenges, we must also ensure that we are building a responsible cloud. Tremendous amounts of energy will be required to power this data-driven revolution."

The leading cloud companies, according to Bernard, have a responsibility to address this energy usage. And Microsoft believes that, as large energy consumers, they have the opportunity to drive change that will benefit not only their company but the world.

"We are also committed to improving our energy mix, setting a goal to grow the percent of wind, solar and hydropower energy we purchase directly and through the grid to 50 percent by 2018, 60 percent by early in the next decade, and to an ongoing and higher percentage in years beyond that," Bernard said. "Already, we are at 44 percent and signed a new deal to bring 20MW of new solar energy onto the grid in Virginia earlier this year."

On the same day that Bernard announced Microsoft's new goals, Lisa Jackson, vice president for Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives at Apple, announced that Apple had joined RE100, a collaborative global renewable initiative of companies committed to 100 percent renewable electricity, working to increase demand for, and delivery of, renewable energy.

In joining RE100, Apple reaffirmed its commitment to reach 100 percent renewable energy worldwide and pledging to work with the initiative to drive clean energy into the manufacturing supply chain.

Apple is already powering its operations in the United States, China and 21 other countries with 100 percent renewable energy. In 2015, it powered 93 percent of its operations around the world with renewable energy.