Apple Says Data Centers Now Use 100% Renewable Energy

Last edited Sun Mar 24, 2013, 12:22 PM - Edit history (1)

"Apple Inc. (AAPL) now uses only renewable energy sources to power its data centers, the iPhone maker said in an updated report on its environmental policies.

The company’s data centers now run on energy sources such as solar, wind and geothermal, instead of coal or other fossil fuels, Apple said on its website. The centers house server computers that store and distribute songs, applications and other content from services such as iTunes, iMessage and iCloud.

A year ago, Apple was targeted by Greenpeace International, which ranked Apple 12th out of 14 large technology companies in a report called “How Clean Is Your Cloud?” The environmental group, which held protests at Apple’s offices in Cupertino, California, charged Apple with relying on electricity from coal plants and gave Apple a grade of no better than D in the four categories it tracked."

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-21/apple-says-data-centers-now-use-100-renewable-energy.html

In a literal sense this is impossible, because Apple doesn't shut down its data center overnight when the wind isn't blowing, and geothermal doesn't come close to providing enough energy. At those times Apple is still using mostly coal and natural gas to power its data centers, while at other times Apple sells power back to the grid. Their claim is based on some creative accounting. The important point: they're still dependent on fossil fuels, and it's renewable energy that keeps them that way.