Apple commits to 100% renewable clean energy

On 17/04/2012, Apple Inc. reaffirmed its commitment to powering 100 percent of its global facilities with renewable energy, with a focus on expanding data center infrastructure. The announcement highlighted progress at Apple’s data center in Maiden, North Carolina, where the company said the facility would be fully powered by renewable sources by the end of 2012. Apple also stated that its three primary data centers at the time would become coal free by the end of 2013. The company positioned the initiative as part of its broader environmental strategy for energy intensive operations. To support the transition, Apple expanded on site renewable energy projects at its North Carolina location. The company doubled solar capacity by adding another 100 acre solar installation and developed a 10 megawatt biogas fuel cell facility to supply renewable electricity. Apple also said it would use Direct Access programs in California and Oregon to purchase renewable power directly from third party energy providers. These arrangements allowed Apple to source electricity from renewable generation rather than relying solely on local utility mixes. Apple reported that the renewable energy strategy focused primarily on data centers supporting services such as iCloud, iTunes, and other online infrastructure. The 17/04/2012 update outlined timelines, facility upgrades, and procurement strategies intended to reduce reliance on fossil fuels across operations. The initiative formed part of Apple’s early efforts to increase renewable energy use within its global corporate infrastructure.