As Apple prepares for their new iCloud datacenter in Maiden, North Carolina to be completed, the company has decided to build a solar power farm across the street to power it.
According to the Charlotte Observer, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has received county permits allowing them to reshape 171 acres so the solar farm construction can begin.
Little details are known about the solar farm, the size is not even known yet. Apple has codenamed the farm “Project Dolphin Solar Farm.” The company referred to the datacenter as “Project Dolphin” while it was under construction.
The Register reports that Greenpeace guesstimates the site will potentially generate up to 30,000 megawatt-hours per year under the best possible conditions.
Apple is one of the United State’s most valuable companies. And it’s proving why with decisions like this.
Greenpeace criticized the datacenter as being damaging to the environment. It is currently being powered by Duke Energy, which generates most of their power from coal and nuclear power.
North Carolina attracts many large companies because of its cheap power, most of which comes from coal. Apple has plenty of money to spend though, so creating an entire solar power farm will sure boost their reputation and put their extra funds to good use.
Apple has been working in more recent years to improve their environmental standards and now has datacenters in Austin, Texas; Sacramento, Calif.; and Cork, Ireland, all of which are powered by 100 percent renewable energy.
That’s all for now,
Cori
