Apple announced that its suppliers have more than doubled their clean energy usage in the last year, with more than 10 gigawatts operating today from almost 16 gigawatts in total commitments in the coming years. In 2021, these renewable energy projects avoided 13.9 million metric tons of carbon emissions. To date, 213 of the company’s major construction partners have committed to powering all of Apple’s production from renewable sources in 25 countries. The dozens of new commitments announced today will accelerate progress toward Apple’s 2030 goal of becoming carbon neutral throughout its supply chain. Apple has been carbon neutral for its global operations since 2020.
Supplier commitments and global energy projects
In addition to the clean energy commitments made by 213 construction partners, Apple is investing directly in renewable energy projects around the world, including nearly 500 megawatts of solar and other renewable energy projects in China and Japan to cover some of the emissions. upstream. To support businesses in their transition to net power, Apple shares data and provides training materials with market-specific information. These resources have helped to promote new clean energy solutions around the world. In Europe, 11 new suppliers have committed to clean energy in the last year, including Infineon, Viscom AG and Lumileds, bringing the total to 25 European companies. They are developing a range of clean energy solutions, including Infineon, which uses on-site solar energy in Germany and Austria, and DSM Engineering Materials, which supports a wind farm in the Netherlands. Apple has already backed two Danish renewable energy projects, including a large solar park near Thisted and a wind farm near Esbjerg, both of which power Apple’s data center in the country. The company is also considering new steps to address product use by customers across the region. In the US, Apple is investing directly in the 2,300-acre IP Radian Solar project in Brown County, Texas. The project will generate 300 megawatts of electricity once construction is completed within the year. Apple has made this investment to help address the electricity that customers use to charge their Apple devices, which accounts for 22% of the company’s gross carbon footprint. US-based Apple suppliers also continue to commit to clean energy, with notable new commitments from DuPont, based in Wilmington, Delaware. and Micron Technology, Inc., based in Boise, Idaho, announced today. Already, Apple vendors Solvay and Corning are helping support some of the largest solar farms in North Carolina and South Carolina as part of their commitment to Apple. In China, 23 new suppliers have joined the program in the last year. Nearly all of China’s leading suppliers based in China have pledged to use clean energy to produce Apple, with many building solar power on the ground while supporting the country’s transition to renewable energy. This includes new commitments from suppliers such as Ruicycle, which will use clean energy in closed-loop recycling processes for Apple. In 2018, Apple adopted an innovative approach to accelerate the progress of renewable energy in China with the launch of the China Clean Energy Fund. Through this first-of-its-kind investment fund, Apple and its suppliers have jointly invested in 465 megawatts of clean energy. In Japan, new options for clean energy are emerging for businesses as electricity purchase agreements become more available. While corporate energy buyers were previously limited to rooftop solar options and unbundled certificates, collective defense further opened up the market. Twenty new suppliers have committed to clean energy in Japan in the past year, including Kioxia Corporation and Sharp Corporation. Nitto Denko and many of Apple’s other suppliers have invested in on-site solar energy, and Keiwa is covering Apple’s load with energy from a wind farm outside Tokyo. In South Korea, LG Display Co. Ltd. and Samsung SDI are committed to clean energy for all Apple production. This addition to the program builds on significant progress over the past year, with a total of 13 vendors committed to bringing clean energy to the internet. In markets where suppliers face particular challenges in accessing cost-effective clean energy, Apple is partnering with partners to break down barriers through innovation and policy engagement.
Community impact of net worth
As Apple continues to accelerate progress toward carbon neutrality throughout its global supply chain, the company is also focusing on supporting communities most affected by climate change. Through the Power for Impact program, Apple provides access to renewable energy to local communities without resources around the world while supporting economic growth and social impact. Currently, solar projects in Colombia, the Philippines and South Africa provide affordable and reliable electricity to communities facing significant energy challenges. Apple continues to expand the program to other parts of the world, such as Israel, Nigeria, Thailand and Vietnam. These projects bring jobs and lead to energy savings that can be reinvested in local communities. Apple maintains the environmental characteristics of each project, and communities use energy savings to support economic growth, education, health, and other social initiatives.
