Apple Touts Progress of $4.7 Billion Clean Energy Investment

[MacRumors]

In a press release today, Apple touted the significant progress it has made as part of its $4.7 billion Green Bond. Thanks to the bond, Apple has generated more than 1.2 gigawatts of clean power, removing an average of 921,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually.

In 2016, Apple issued its first bond of $1.5 billion towards the project, followed by $1 billion in 2017. In 2019, Apple invested $2.2 billion.

Last year, Apple funded more than 17 projects, resulting in the reduction of nearly 1 million metric tons of carbon emissions globally, equivalent to removing 200,000 cars from the road, according to Apple. Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environment, policy, and social initiatives, says the company is dedicated to pursuing investments to promote clean energy.

We all have a responsibility to do everything we can to fight against the impacts of climate change, and our $4.7 billion investment of the proceeds from our Green Bond sales is an important driver in our efforts. Ultimately, clean power is good business.

In addition to its investment in clean power, Apple has also allocated $2.8 billion into researching and funding new projects that "support low carbon design and engineering, energy efficiency, renewable energy, carbon mitigation, and carbon sequestration." The investments come on top of Apple's commitment last year to become fully carbon neutral across its entire business by 2030.

Article Link: Apple Touts Progress of $4.7 Billion Clean Energy Investment

 

[lusky]

They couldn't have waited a wee bit longer and announce that they had generated 1.21 gigawatts? That would have made so many people's day. and we all need wee things like that just now 😁

 

[bklement]

Gotta do a lot more to make up for wireless charging.

 

[svenning]

They couldn't have waited a wee bit longer and announce that they had generated 1.21 gigawatts? That would have made so many people's day. and we all need wee things like that just now 😁

 

[scarecrowmac]

Really goes to show the scale of things and how much effort needs to go into reducing our carbon emissions. We emit something like 51 billion tones of CO2 per year, so this project costing 4.7 billion and reducing emissions by just under 1 million tones is just 0.002% of the way there…

 

[EdDek]

"preventing" is more accurate than "removing", as it likely power usage went up over the same time period

 

[sander48k]

That's to compensate for all the energy lost with wireless charging.

 

[Mike_Trivisonno]

Have there been environmental impact studies done that attempt to quantify the impact to the micro climate in the areas where large shaded areas are artificially created by these huge installations of light-guzzling solar panel arrays? I am half joking.

 

[Mike_Trivisonno]

Also, Green Bonds don't actually do anything. They're a financial instrument big corporations use to pretend they are doing something to stop the non-existent "global warming" that was supposed to drown New York City a decade ago. They probably get a hefty tax-deduction for "investing" in the future. lol.

 

[qoop]

"equivalent to removing 200,000 cars from the road"

If we 'removed' giant corporations, then we'd reduce carbon even more wouldn't we? Well, that's Apple's own logic it seems. 'Remove' is such an unpleasant word anyway.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

They couldn't have waited a wee bit longer and announce that they had generated 1.21 gigawatts? That would have made so many people's day. and we all need wee things like that just now 😁

So you’re saying instead of 4.7 billion dollars and five years of efforts, Apple could’ve flown a few kites with keys tied to them? Apple is clearly investing in the wrong clean energy source.

 

[MacManiac1]

"equivalent to removing 200,000 cars from the road"

If we 'removed' giant corporations, then we'd reduce carbon even more wouldn't we? Well, that's Apple's own logic it seems. 'Remove' is such an unpleasant word anyway.

Good point. I work in the automotive manufacturing area and reducing the number of cars isn’t good for my job.

 

[MacManiac1]

Do any of these studies take into account what it takes to manufacture the solar panels? Lots of energy for one, but more than that, the mining of all the materials that have to be done to make the panels and the materials have their own issues.

 

[Onexy]

And how much do they put out? How much did the solar panels making and building put out? How much do Apples supply chain put out?

They just want to be fancy. Like they don't release sales figures anymore... they don't want you to see the ****.

 

[BeefCake 15]

how long before they break even on this?

 

[ArPe]

The bitecon and nft scams have already wiped out all the saving the tech companies are making. They consume 150 terawatts of power, more than all the big data centers combined, just to run a suduko game that steals money from plebs.

 

[thespacekid]

Do any of these studies take into account what it takes to manufacture the solar panels? Lots of energy for one, but more than that, the mining of all the materials that have to be done to make the panels and the materials have their own issues.

That's OK. They're likely made in China where they do need to worry about any CO2 restrictions.

I would be interested in the total cost in CO2 to make them and the money required to operate and maintain them, including replacement.

 

[EVGabe]

The bitecon and nft scams have already wiped out all the saving the tech companies are making. They consume 150 terawatts of power, more than all the big data centers combined, just to run a suduko game that steals money from plebs.

I found the central bank apologist! 😂

 

[walnuts]

At least this is one project apple isn’t canceling to focus on the mini version.

 

[Graham Caracas]

This is an absurd and disgusting PR stunt. All it does is highlight the fact that Apple is a major contributor to world pollution desperately trying to look like a clean and green corporation. The truth is that the atmosphere is circling the drain because of corporate greed and consumer stupidity. There's nothing anyone can do about it.

 

[NMBob]

how long before they break even on this?

Right about the time all of the solar panels wear out and need to be replaced. And the batteries.

 

[I7guy]

This is an absurd and disgusting PR stunt. All it does is highlight the fact that Apple is a major contributor to world pollution desperately trying to look like a clean and green corporation. The truth is that the atmosphere is circling the drain because of corporate greed and consumer stupidity. There's nothing anyone can do about it.

On the flip side, being green is not binary. One doesn’t do one thing and declare being green is done. It’s up to everybody to try and do as much as possible.

 

[Koni17]

Don't really understand all the negativity in the comments here, would you rather they invest in coal power? I think it's great that apple has initiatives like this, sure wish some other companies would follow suit.

 

[ArPe]

I found the central bank apologist! 😂

I am the Central Bank MF your pocket money comes from me no matter what gambling games you wanna play 💩😝

 

[icwhatudidthere]

Don't really understand all the negativity in the comments here, would you rather they invest in coal power? I think it's great that apple has initiatives like this, sure wish some other companies would follow suit.

Read enough replies on threads like this and you start to see a common pattern. It's people who don't want to change so they make arguments that there's nothing wrong with carbon (it's great for plants!); or that it doesn't capture the full carbon cost of making solar panels (but what about the mining of the materials used to make machines to mine the materials used to make solar panels ad infinitum, while ignoring the costs of constantly mining new sources of natural gas or oil or coal and transporting those resources around the world); or switching to green energy will cost jerbs (while ignoring the fact that it also creates new ones).

Or it's people who think the world will end next week so therefore anything less than switching the entire world to green energy immediately is insufficient.

Throw in a few people who've latched on to smaller arguments like "switch to nuclear" or "overpopulation" or random "holier than thou" comments and you've got the sum total of all comments on a climate change-related thread.