Apple Announces Plans to Build America’s Largest End User–Owned Onsite Solar Array
Posted By Tafline Laylin On February 21, 2012 @ 5:28 pm In clean tech,News,Renewable Energy,Solar Power | 1 Comment
As Apple’s social record undergoes continued scrutiny [4] the company just released its 2012 environmental report [5], which unveils plans to build America’s largest end user-owned onsite solar array at its massive data center in Maiden, North Carolina. The building itself is the world’s only LEED Platinum certified data center, and the 100-acre, 20-megawatt solar farm will supply 42 million kWh of clean, renewable energy annually.
Many people don’t realize it, but processing digital data requires a lot of energy, which is why Apple has committed to such a rigorous renewable program [6]. In addition to the massive solar array, the company plans to build a fuel cell installation later this year. When complete, the 5 megawatt facility will be the largest non-utility fuel cell installation operating anywhere in the country. Located astride the white-roofed data center, it will be powered entirely by biogas [7] and will provide more than 40 million kWh of 24×7 baseload renewable energy every year.
Apple insists that they are “committed to pursuing energy-efficient growth [8] by increasing our renewable energy participation to match the growing needs of our data center—through our own projects as well as partnerships with utilities and renewable energy providers.”
+ Apple [5]
Via Engadget [9]
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URL to article: http://inhabitat.com/apple-to-build-americas-largest-end-user%e2%80%93owned-onsite-solar-array/
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[3] Email: mailto:?subject=http://inhabitat.com/apple-to-build-americas-largest-end-user%e2%80%93owned-onsite-solar-array/
[4] Apple’s social record undergoes continued scrutiny: http://inhabitat.com/apple-begins-independent-monitoring-of-foxconn-and-other-factories-in-china/
[5] 2012 environmental report: http://www.apple.com/environment/reports/docs/Apple_Facilities_Report_2012.pdf
[6] Apple has committed to such a rigorous renewable program: http://inhabitat.com/steve-jobs-unveils-a-new-clean-energy-spaceship-shaped-apple-campus/
[7] biogas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogas
[8] energy-efficient growth: http://inhabitat.com/vennesla-librarys-ribbed-prefab-design-features-energy-efficient-strategies-in-norway/
[9] Engadget: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/20/apples-2012-enviromental-report-reveals-giant-solar-array/
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