Amazon, an American e-Commerce company, has recently announced 26 new utility-scale solar and wind energy projects with a total production capacity of 3.4-GW. The recent announcement brings the total renewable energy investment of the company to 35 projects with a capacity of above 4-GW in 2020. These projects will also enable it to become the largest corporate clean energy purchaser.
The technology company has currently invested in 6.5-GW of solar and wind energy projects to supply operations with more than 18 million-MWh of clean energy on an annual basis. These projects will help power 1.7 million homes in the U.S. in a year, as well as supply renewable energy to the company’s fulfillment centers, corporate offices, and AWS (Amazon Web Services) data centers.
Additionally, the projects will also aid in Amazon’s goal to reach its net-zero carbon emission target by 2040. Powering its infrastructure with 100% clean energy is a part of this commitment. The company is currently planning to achieve it by 2025, which is 5 years ahead of the initial 2030 target.
The new projects are located in the U.S., Sweden, South Africa, the UK, Italy, Germany, France, and Australia. In the U.S., the company has enabled these solar and wind energy projects in Virginia, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, Nebraska, Kentucky, Kansas, Indiana, Illinois, Delaware, and California. In total, it has developed 127 renewable energy projects across the globe, including 59 utility-scale solar & wind projects and 68 solar rooftops for the fulfillment and sort centers worldwide.
According to Amazon’s CEO & founder, Jeff Bezos, the company and its team have been making a significant shift towards powering businesses with clean energy. With the new projects, it is on the path of running its business with 100% renewable energy by 2025 and meeting the Climate Pledge.
Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance’s CEO, Miranda Ballentine, has reportedly cited that the U.S.-based projects alone can make Amazon’s recent announcement a 270% larger as compared to the biggest corporate procurement announcement to date, representing its high commitment to sustainable future.
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