Apple has announced plans to build two of the world’s largest onshore wind turbines in Denmark.
The plans call for the construction of two onshore wind turbines, which at 200 metres tall would be the same height as the HSBC Tower in London’s Canary Wharf. Combined the two turbines are expected to produce 62GWh of electricity each year — enough to power 20,000 homes.
Instead of powering those 20,000 homes, however, Apple’s two turbines will be used to power its data centre in Viborg. Any excess power will be fed back to the grid.
Apple’s Viborg data centre is already partly powered by renewable energy sources, with the company having constructed one of Scandinavia’s largest solar arrays to help decarbonise the site. The solar array was also Denmark’s first solar project to be built without the use of public subsidies.
The addition of two giant wind turbines in Denmark clearly shows that Apple is serious about its commitment of achieving carbon neutrality across its entire business by 2030. However, it’s not the only area where it’s showcasing that commitment.
The firm also announced that its German-based supplier Varta had agreed to run its Apple production facility with 100% renewable power. That’s in addition to the other European suppliers that are working towards clean energy solutions, including Henkel, Tesa SE, DSM Engineering Materials STMicroelectronics and Solvay.
The clean energy solutions include DSM’s wind power purchase agreement in the Netherlands and STMicroelectronics’s solar carport in Morocco. Companies like Solvay are now expanding their use of renewable energy to their broader operations after joining Apple’s Supplier Clean Energy Program five years ago.
Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, noted in a statement, “Combating climate change demands urgent action and global partnership — and the Viborg data centre is powerful proof that we can rise to this generational challenge.
“Investments in clean energy deliver breakthrough innovations that bring clean energy and good jobs to businesses and local communities. This is an area where we have to lead — for the sake of our planet and future generations.”