Apple’s clean energy plans still cloudy despite coal-free pledge
Apple’s clean energy policies have significantly improved, but the company still gets low scores for its energy choices when compared with sector leaders, according to a new Greenpeace International analysis released today.
Despite a welcome commitment by Apple in May that its data centres will be coal-free and powered by 100% renewable energy, the analysis reveals that Apple still lacks a plan that outlines a realistic path to eliminate its reliance on coal to power its iCloud.
The analysis, “A Clean Energy Road Map for Apple” is a follow-up evaluation to Greenpeace International’s April “How Clean is Your Cloud?” report, which ranked technology companies on their renewable energy policies.
That report was part of a major campaign launch in which more than 250,000 people have asked Apple, Amazon and Microsoft to clean up the cloud.
The latest analysis updates the scores to account for Apple’s new announcements and found that Apple’s plans to make its three existing data centres “coal-free” are still far from complete.
Since Apple will have to buy much of its electricity in North Carolina from Duke Energy, the only electric utility in the area – and one which also relies heavily on coal – Apple cannot be coal-free without pushing Duke toward that goal as well.
Apple should use its buying power as one of Duke Energy’s anticipated top 10 customers to demand that Duke provide it with clean energy, not mountaintop removal coal.
People like Emily Euchner in North Carolina are depending on Apple to take that next step and join them in pushing Duke to quit coal and move toward renewable energy.
Check out the report here and add your name to the growing list of people asking for a clean cloud.