Amazon announces nine new renewables deals to take clean energy capacity to 8.5GW

Amazon is on course be powered by 100% renewables by 2025 – five years ahead of an original target

Amazon has reiterated its position as the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the world. The company has today (19 April) announced nine new utility-scale wind and solar projects across the US, Canada, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

The projects include Amazon’s first solar project paired with energy storage technology and it’s the largest corporate renewable energy deal in the UK to date.

Amazon is the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy globally and in Europe with 206 projects around the world, enough to power millions of homes a year. The company has more than 2.5GW of capacity in Europe and 8.5GW globally.

According to the company, these projects, consisting of 71 utility-scale wind and solar projects and 135 solar rooftops on facilities and stores, will see Amazon be powered by 100% renewables by 2025 – five years ahead of an original target.

Amazon is aiming to become a net-zero company globally by 2040, under its Climate Pledge. It is working with Global Optimism – the brainchild of Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac – to encourage other corporates to make the same commitments. Other supporters include the likes of HenkelMicrosoft, Coca-Cola European Partners, UnileverBest Buy and Siemens.

“Amazon continues to scale up its investments in renewable energy as part of its effort to meet The Climate Pledge, our commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040,” the company’s founder Jeff Bezos said.

“With these nine new wind and solar projects, we have announced 206 renewable wind and solar projects worldwide, and we are now the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in Europe and globally. Many parts of our business are already operating on renewable energy, and we expect to power all of Amazon with renewable energy by 2025—five years ahead of our original target of 2030.”

The projects supply clean energy to Amazon’s corporate offices, fulfilment centres, Whole Foods Market stores, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centres.

Of the new projects, a California-based solar programme has been equipped with 70MW of energy storage. A 350MW wind farm off the coast of Scotland is the largest corporate renewable energy deal in the UK.

Earlier this year, the company announced plans to co-invest, alongside a wind energy venture including Shell and Eneco, in an offshore wind project in the Netherlands. The 759MW offshore wind farm is due to begin operating in 2023.

Under the agreement, Amazon will purchase 380MW of the generation capacity via Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). It will use the generated electricity to power offices, warehouses, data centres and other operations across Europe.

Elsewhere in its renewable energy investment approach, Amazon has backed 62 off-site, utility-scale wind and solar projects and 125 solar rooftops across its own estate. Amazon’s total renewable energy portfolio globally covers more than 6.9GW of generation capacity.

Matt Mace

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe