Apple to install massive solar array

Tech giant Apple has confirmed that it will be fitting its North Carolina data centre with a 100 acre, 20 megawatt solar array, in an effort to move away from fossil fuels.

The company announced the news in its Facilities Report: 2012 Environmental Update. Once completed, the project will create an annual figure of 42m kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable energy and will be the “largest end user-owned, onsite solar array” in the US.

According to Apple, the data centre “demonstrates [Apple’s] commitment to reduce the environmental impact of [its] facilities through energy efficient, green building design”.

Back in November, Blue & Green Tomorrow announced that Apple’s plans for such a transformation at its $1 billion hub had been leaked by the local council after residents complained about workers burning greenery on the site in preparation for the renovation. It only officially told the world of the project in the recently released Environmental Update.

It’s not all rosy for the Cupertino-based company, though. Earlier this month, B&GT reported how it had been omitted from a Greenpeace table that ranked tech companies on their clean energy reliance.

The environmental group said that Apple had “not demonstrated leadership or elected to pursue market opportunities to drive IT energy solutions that many of its competitors have, despite record profits and large cash reserves”, meaning it wasn’t included on its Cool IT Leaderboard.

Further to the innovative solar array, though, Apple announced it is also in the process of installing “the largest non-utility fuel cell” in America.

“This 5-megawatt facility”, it writes, “located directly adjacent to the data centre, will be powered by 100% biogas, and provide more than 40m kWh of 24×7 base load renewable energy annually”.

It’s easy to brush announcements like these off as greenwash. But the fact is; it’s an entirely positive story. More of the same and the world will be well on the way to a sustainable future.

This isn’t achieved solely at a corporate level, though. Individuals like you can make a difference by investing your money wisely in sustainable, ethical, responsible and green places.

To do this, ask your IFA. If you don’t have one, fill in our online form and we can help.

If you want to follow Apple’s lead and use 100% renewable energy, you could do no better than looking at Good Energy, the UKs only 100% renewable energy provider.

Related links:

Google heads Greenpeace IT ranking, but Apple and Facebook omitted

The internet vs sustainability

Apple and Google take strides forward in renewable energy uprising

Picture source: Andrew