The $300M China Clean Energy Fund – an environmental partnership between Apple and ten of its Chinese suppliers – has invested in three wind farms. The initiative is designed to help suppliers power their Apple production from 100% renewable energy.
Apple says that the fund is aiming to generate one gigawatt of renewable energy by 2022 and that these three farms will hit 10% of that goal…
To put that number into perspective, one gigawatt is enough to power almost a million homes.
Apple described the achievement in somewhat poetic terms.
The company is, though, rightly proud of this first milestone.
Apple says that there are also financial benefits for its suppliers, and for the provinces in which the wind farms are situated.
One of the suppliers says that this wouldn’t have been possible without Apple’s support.
The wind farms in Hunan and Hubei also impact their local economies and governments helping each province reach mandated renewable energy goals. In Dao County, which is classified a state poverty county, the revenues from the construction and running of Concord Jing Tang and Concord Shen Zhang Tang farms also provide important sources of income.
Apple’s long-term goal is for all its suppliers globally to use 100% clean energy and says that 44 partners in 16 countries have so far committed to this.
Apple already powers all of its own operations from 100% renewable energy and is the largest US user of solar power.
