To date, every single data center Apple owns uses 100% renewable energy – and the company continues to explore and invest in ways to raise the bar for clean energy.
Not a company to rest on its laurels, Apple is now working with Nevada utility NV Energy to build a solar panel farm beside its Reno data center. This solar panel farm is in addition to its data center in Maiden, NC that utilizes the same technology.
Apple will be using an innovative type of technology for its solar system – including mirrors and special solar panels that have the ability to concentrate the rays of the sun up to seven times.
SunPower is working with Apple on the engineering construction plans just as the company worked with Apple on the NC solar farm.
When completed, the 137 acre solar array will generate approximately 43.5 million kilowatt hours’ worth of clean energy – which equates to taking nearly 6500 automobiles off the road annually.
Apple’s goal for its data centers is to work closely with state utilities to maximize clean power options. The state of Nevada’s utility commission has a new green tariff, approved June 12, that enables Apple to pay for the cost of the solar farm and to expand it.
Since the construction of the solar farm will take a considerable amount of time, in the interim, Apple plans to use local geothermal power heavily used in the area. In fact, Apple specifically chose to build in the Reno area because of the clean power facilities and the widespread acceptance and encouragement of clean energy.
Over 100 jobs may be created during Apple’s construction of its Reno solar farm.
