Apple’s new European data centres to be 100% powered by renewables

The twin facilities – one in County Galway Ireland and one in central Denmark – will power the European version of Apple’s online services, including the iTunes store and Maps.

CEO Tim Cook said: “This significant new investment represents Apple’s biggest project in Europe to date. We’re thrilled to be expanding our operations, creating hundreds of local jobs and introducing some of our most advanced green building designs yet.”

Green credentials

Like all Apple data centres, the new facilities will run entirely on renewable energy sources from day one. Apple has also pledged to work with local partners to develop additional renewable energy projects from wind or other sources to provide power in the future.

The two data centres, each measuring 166,000 square metres, will begin operations in 2017. For the project in Athenry, Ireland, Apple will recover land previously used for growing and harvesting non-native trees and restore native trees to Derrydonnell Forest. 

“We believe that innovation is about leaving the world better than we found it, and that the time for tackling climate change is now,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environmental Initiatives. “We’re excited to spur green industry growth in Ireland and Denmark and develop energy systems that take advantage of their strong wind resources. Our commitment to environmental responsibility is good for the planet, good for our business and good for the European economy.”

The Apple debate

Last week, edie detailed five ways in which Apple was embedding sustainability in its operations, including their planned Apple Campus 2, which will reportedly be ‘the greenest building ever’.

However, critics have slammed the “planned obsolescence” of Apple products, calling it a ‘circular economy nightmare’.

Last week , the Green Alliance released a report detailing ways in which companies could better recycle and re-use electronic goods like mobile phones and tablets.

Brad Allen