General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPhotos of Apple's new solar array in NC.
They also have fuel cells (Bloom box) for when they need the extra 5 megawatts it provides.
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/09/14/panel-installation-nearly-complete-at-apples-massive-north-carolina-solar-farm/
"The solar farm is just one of two being developed Apple to support the data center, with the one captured on film located directly across the street from the center and the other located a few miles away. Together, the two similarly-sized solar farms will provide roughly 40 megawatts of power, with an on-site fuel cell facility providing an additional 5 megawatts."
Romulox
(25,960 posts)MineralMan
(146,190 posts)of the new data facility and solar power plant would create 3000 jobs during that construction. I imagine that North Carolina workers benefited from that. What do you think?
Romulox
(25,960 posts)in the Iphone/Ipad division.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)This means that they're domestically manufactured.
Surprised because they could have gone with Chinese modules but did not, and it cost them plenty, millions more, to use US mods.
MineralMan
(146,190 posts)Facts don't matter. I tried to find out who the contractors were on this and whether they were unionized, but I didn't find the info.
It's a huge solar project, and Apple is committed to running that data center with renewable power. They used US Companies and local labor to build it, and the whole project also includes a very large fuel-cell power plant to supply power with the sun isn't shining.
It's a good project. That Apple also has lots of unpaid interns is irrelevant to this story, which is big news.
Romulox
(25,960 posts)Typical for you.
valerief
(53,235 posts)MineralMan
(146,190 posts)It is a "right to work" state, but that doesn't mean that labor unions are illegal. I think you're confused.
https://www.google.com/search?q=labor+unions+north+carolina&sugexp=chrome,mod=16&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
valerief
(53,235 posts)MineralMan
(146,190 posts)Do the Google search and click through on some of the links. Unions are present in North Carolina. You said they weren't allowed. I simply clarified the situation. There's no question that right to work states make it more difficult for unions to prosper, but they still exist and still organize workers. That's very different than saying they're not allowed. Accuracy matters.
Here's a list of labor unions active in the Charlotte area alone:
http://www.yellowpages.com/charlotte-nc/labor-unions
Romulox
(25,960 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)And I'll buy it!
Romulox
(25,960 posts)And you, who, as a "citizen of the world", have always cared about all the workers of the world--equally! will surely be outraged when you finally become informed about this, I'm sure.
By Associated Press, Published: September 12
BEIJING The company that manufactures Apples iPhones has responded to an accusation that vocational students are forced to work in its Chinese factories by saying Wednesday its agreement with their schools allows them to leave.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/apples-iphone-manufacturer-faces-labor-complaints-over-status-of-student-workers/2012/09/12/1f9af890-fcd2-11e1-98c6-ec0a0a93f8eb_story.html
Romulox
(25,960 posts)alfredo
(60,065 posts)DonRedwood
(4,359 posts)DonRedwood
(4,359 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)Our population is expected to increase to a billion by the halfmark of this century. America's landscape will be nothing like it is today. This seems wasteful facing the harsh realities to come. Otherwise, I applaud Apple 110% for showing a good corporate example to follow regarding alternative energy.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)I totally agree that for not much more $, they could have created space beneath for parking or storage or agriculture (yes), but maybe there just wasn't demand, or maybe this could be done at a later time.
I've worked on a lot of proposals with the largest one coming to fruition (500kW two acre shaded parking).
This is great news, but I agree that it would be better to have allowed for land use below the system.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Not as hard as removing a hydroelectric dam or dismantling a traditional power plant. Just pick them up and put them on the top. Most likely, they know what the planning commissions have laid out for that area for the years to come.
Living in a state where with little available arable land left makes me lust for that piece of dirt. What can I say...
We are sporting arrays on almost all new construction, and using them in many different ways, bus stops, etc. A friend had one installed on her garage to take care of her needs and send back the excess to the city grid. It also has increased the resale value of her home.
Even with all electric and few sunny days, her bill has been decreased. We're pretty big on all of these ideas, a whole lot of innovative things that require public approval.
I wish every state was doing this, but now our media is infested now with baggers, so we're getting resistance on many good things. It's a national regression.
Good job, Apple, and thanks for the information NYC SKP.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)HopeHoops
(47,675 posts)alfredo
(60,065 posts)HopeHoops
(47,675 posts)alfredo
(60,065 posts)grounds, and building.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Or it would have been worthwhile.
Parking would required major underground work for drainage, and then grading baserock and asphalt and stiping, and continued maintenance.
It would be worth it if needed, they must not have needed it.
MineralMan
(146,190 posts)One article said that there would be about 50 full-time employees when it was operating. Not much need for parking. Lots of automation, and few workers.
I'm not sure what the quality of the ag land is that the power plant was built on. Could be marginal. I just don't know.
NC gave some really hefty tax credits to Apple to get them to build the plant there.
alfredo
(60,065 posts)in the production of tobacco. I used to work the tobacco fields. Nasty stuff.
A HERETIC I AM
(24,317 posts)Last edited Sun Sep 16, 2012, 11:02 PM - Edit history (1)
XemaSab
(60,212 posts)This is where the panels are. Looks like a brushy hayfield with some forest land to me.
alfredo
(60,065 posts)I live in the middle of Burley country. Hay is grown here too. There were several acres of field corn behind my house. Across the road and down the road were large tobacco farms. The farm I worked was across from the Headley-Whitney museum.
MineralMan
(146,190 posts)In any case, now it's a solar energy farm. That's a good, good thing.
unc70
(6,094 posts)While tobacco is inherently a nasty crop (the gum from the plants themselves), the toxic substances applied in the fields were not particularly different than most commercial agriculture. Even in the bad old days (pre Silent Spring, pre-EPA), about the only chems were DDE (bad, but commonplace at that time) and MH-30.
If you really worked on a tobacco farm, all that hard work should have taught you more.
alfredo
(60,065 posts)unc70
(6,094 posts)Those aren't terms used in NC with flue cured.
alfredo
(60,065 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Except I've never really loved iTunes or Pages.
The Midway Rebel
(2,191 posts)Cheers for doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.
Romulox
(25,960 posts)By Associated Press, Published: September 12
BEIJING The company that manufactures Apples iPhones has responded to an accusation that vocational students are forced to work in its Chinese factories by saying Wednesday its agreement with their schools allows them to leave.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/apples-iphone-manufacturer-faces-labor-complaints-over-status-of-student-workers/2012/09/12/1f9af890-fcd2-11e1-98c6-ec0a0a93f8eb_story.html
alfredo
(60,065 posts)Romulox
(25,960 posts)trumad
(41,692 posts)uses American labor and Products--- but---some here at DU still shit in a thread about it.
Douchebags
alfredo
(60,065 posts)The next insurgent technology is being developed in some garage in suburban America. Maybe in ten to twenty years they will be fending off bitter complaints by Apple users.
I say enjoy the benefits of a company that pushes the technology.
BTW, The MS Tablet is coming soon. Let's see if they did it right.
Elwood P Dowd
(11,443 posts)krispos42
(49,445 posts)Big companies like to do stuff like this to generate good PR to cover up or deflect attention away from other, bad-PR stuff.
If this was a small business that did this, it would be a different story. But Apple is on the same level as BP.
The fact that BP shells out a few millions in damages and runs a TV ad campaign with a native Southerner speaking about how dedicated BP is to cleaning up the Gulf doesn't change the fact that a fabulously wealthy company screwed up to save money.
If the data-processing center was a small business doing this, it would be a different story. But Apple is big company taking full advantage of globalization: outsourcing labor, using very poorly cared for and paid laborers, avoiding environmental regulation and concerns, all the while sucking steadily at the wealth of the middle and working classes who's wealth was created by insourcing labor, using well-paid and well-benefited laborers in an environment that was subject to environmental regulation.