Mikey Campbell
As part of continued eco-friendly efforts, Apple on Monday said it is now part of the RE100, a global initiative of leading companies committed to boosting demand and delivery of 100 percent renewable energy.
Apple VP of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson announced the company's membership to RE100 during an address at the Climate Week in New York City on Monday.
"Apple is committed to running on 100 percent renewable energy, and we're happy to stand beside other companies that are working toward the same effort," Jackson said. "We're excited to share the industry-leading work we've been doing to drive renewable energy into the manufacturing supply chain, and look forward to partnering with RE100 to advocate for clean-energy policies around the world."
Launched in 2014 through a partnership between The Climate Group and CDP, RE100 seeks to promote renewable energy consumption by urging member companies to procure electricity from renewable sources. A wide range of companies from China, Europe, India and the U.S. are participating in the project.
Alongside RE100, Jackson announced Apple, in cooperation with local utility Salt River Project, recently completed construction on a massive 50-megawatt solar farm that will feed the company's global command data center in Mesa, Arizona. Apple is investing $2 billion over the next ten years to upgrade facilities at the site of its failed sapphire production joint venture into a control center for its U.S.-based data operations.
Jackson went on to tout progress in Apple's initiative to kickstart clean energy usage in its Chinese supply chain. Under a new commitment, iPhone antenna band supplier Solvay Specialty Polymers pledged to use 100 percent renewable energy for production lines serving Apple products. The firm plans to power 14 facilities across 8 countries with renewable electricity by the end of 2018.
In addition, aluminum enclosure supplier Catcher Technology is progressing toward a renewable energy future that should also see completion by the same 2018 deadline.
Last month, Apple profiled Lens Technology as its first Chinese supplier to commit to a clean energy process for glass manufacturing lines serving Apple devices. Instead of building out dedicated renewable energy infrastructures, Chinese suppliers will meet their commitment to Apple largely through clean power purchase agreements.
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6 Comments
Nice. I love that Apple has been aggressive with this. As a silly side note: Whenever I see big fields of solar panels I always think there should be some buildings or at a least a shell underneath, so the space could be easily used for something else eventually. It's kind of irrational as it would cost more and provide nothing and if you wanted to build under it later you could transplant the panels on top I guess. Just something about all that land with such a short single purpose layer on it. I think I started thinking about it playing SimCity at some point.
:tongue:
Funny. When Apple was the target of Greenpeace protests and demonstrations over some toxic materials used in the manufacture of their products the tech press was all over it. Now that Apple is the biggest leader in recyclable products (which is one reason why they use aluminum instead of plastic), renewable energy production, and ambitious environmental plans, the tech press ignores them. Not a peep. Negativity rules the day I suppose.
At least unlike the majority of countries and organisations that make public commitments on CO2 emission reductions, Apple is one of a very small number that are actually doing something beyond basking in the public adulation of their virtue signalling.
Probably as it actually has the deep pockets to actually do it, rather than promise.
As for the others, I would rather they be more honest about their intention of not doing anything beyond planning their next commitment to feed the gullible.
This is one of the reasons I love Apple as a company. When you get to a success level such as where Apple is, it is a great opportunity to become a world leader in key areas. This type of thing makes the WORLD a better place. I admire them for this.