“Apple’s clean energy policies have significantly improved, but the company still gets low scores for its energy choices when compared with sector leaders, according to a new Greenpeace International analysis released today,” David Pomerantz blogs for Greenpeace.
MacDailyNews Take: Shocking.
“Despite a welcome commitment by Apple in May that its data centres will be coal-free and powered by 100% renewable energy, the analysis reveals that Apple still lacks a plan that outlines a realistic path to eliminate its reliance on coal to power its iCloud,” Pomerantz writes. “The latest analysis updates the scores to account for Apple’s new announcements and found that Apple’s plans to make its three existing data centres “coal-free” are still far from complete.”
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s iTime Machine’s “Instantaneous” button must be on the fritz.
Pomerantz writes, “Since Apple will have to buy much of its electricity in North Carolina from Duke Energy, the only electric utility in the area – and one which also relies heavily on coal – Apple cannot be coal-free without pushing Duke toward that goal as well. Apple should use its buying power as one of Duke Energy’s anticipated top 10 customers to demand that Duke provide it with clean energy, not mountaintop removal coal.”
MacDailyNews Take: Greenpeace just loves demands, no matter how pie-in-the-sky and full-of-shit they may be.
Full article – Think Before You Click™ – here.
MacDailyNews Note: By the end of 2012, Apple will meet the energy needs of their Maiden, North Carolina, data center using entirely renewable sources. To achieve this, Apple is building their own facilities that will provide over 60 percent of the clean power they need. It’s another example of Apple’s commitment to designing for energy efficiency — from the ground up.
Appel will meet the remaining 40 percent of their energy needs by directly purchasing clean, renewable energy generated by local and regional sources. Directly purchasing clean local energy gives Apple the flexibility to meet their needs over time, helps them to ensure that their sources are reputable and responsible, and encourages local investment in renewable projects such as wind, solar, and bio-gas power in locations best suited for these resources. Adding renewable energy sources like these displaces dirtier energy sources from the grid. Apple is also partnering with NC GreenPower — an independent, nonprofit organization created by the North Carolina Utilities Commission — to increase local renewable energy production throughout North Carolina. Today Apple’s largest project with NC GreenPower is helping the local landfill in Catawba County (located just three miles from the Maiden data center) to generate electricity using their waste methane gas.
Learn more about Apple’s data centers and renewable energy here.
Related articles:
North Carolina regulators approve Apple’s 4.8-megawatt fuel cell facility at Maiden data center – May 23, 2012
Apple’s NC and Oregon data centers to use 100 percent renewable energy – May 17, 2012
Bloom Energy confirms they will supply fuel cells for Apple’s North Carolina data center – April 30, 2012
New aerial images of Apple’s planned NC fuel cell, solar farms published – April 7, 2012
Apple’s massive fuel cell energy project to be largest in the U.S. – April 4, 2012
Apple plans USA’s largest private fuel cell energy project in North Carolina – April 1, 2012
How Apple took the lead on the environment – February 22, 2012
Apple patent application reveals next-gen fuel cell powered Macs and iOS devices – December 22, 2011
Apple’s Mothership campus solar roof will be among biggest in U.S. – December 7, 2011
Apple working with US company, Leaf Solar Power, on North Carolina solar farm – November 8, 2011
Apple patent app details highly-advanced hydrogen fuel cells to power portable devices – October 20, 2011
Apple building huge solar farm around its billion-dollar North Carolina data center – October 26, 2011
