In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we're highlighting five companies that take green seriously. These trailblazing companies are leading by example, showing how large-scale investments in solar power can significantly reduce carbon footprints and create a more reliable and secure energy source for operations! Do any of them surprise you? Apple CEO Tim Cook with CBS News' John Dickerson, at a solar energy installation north of Austin that can power more than 100,000 homes. (CBS NEWS) 1. Apple Apple has been a frontrunner in adopting solar energy, with a reported over 500 megawatts of solar capacity. The tech giant has consistently demonstrated its commitment to sustainability, aiming to power all its facilities worldwide with 100% renewable energy, including solar power. CEO Tim Cook wants to match every bit of carbon released by Apple products with clean energy and carbon capture (what's called "carbon neutral") from mining, manufacturing, shipping, and even recycling. He has pledged to get there in just seven years and hopes Apple's lead will inspire others to follow. . . Amazon Solar Farm – Eastern Shore, 80 MW (AC) project located in Accomack County, VA. (Community Energy) 2. Amazon Amazon is another major corporation making big strides in solar energy, with 20 gigawatts — a new record for most renewable energy purchased by a single company. The e-commerce leader has launched numerous solar projects around the globe as part of its ambitious goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.The company is also a great example of how solar projects have an impact far beyond the grid. Communities where Amazon wind and solar farms are located experienced more than $12 billion in additional investment from 2014 through 2022. . . This Nexamp solar farm in Gloversville is one of 23 community solar projects in New York that will provide energy credits to Walmart and savings opportunities to area residents. 3. Walmart With more than 500 megawatts of installed solar capacity, Walmart is not only the world's largest retailer but also one of the largest corporate users of solar power.In September 2020, Walmart announced its commitment to become a regenerative company powered by 100% renewable energy in its operations by 2035. This mission is led by a 2021 announcement that it has contracted with Nexamp as an anchor tenant to support 129 Megawatts of community solar projects, in one of the biggest deals of its kind. The retailer is subscribing to a share of each of 23 Nexamp solar farms across New York and will receive energy credits equivalent to approximately 50 Megawatts of the entire portfolio. . . The solar array on the roof of REI's Goodyear, Ariz., DC produces more electricity than it consumes in a year. 4. REI REI's journey towards renewable energy began earnestly in 2008, with significant investments in large-scale solar electricity systems for its retail stores.Celebrating its 10-year anniversary of achieving 100% renewable power, the company boasts installations across 20 retail stores and two distribution centers, totaling over 4.1 megawatts of installed capacity. The company's Goodyear, AZ project is a shining example of their leadership. REI's solar array there produces more than it consumes in a year, making the building a "net-zero" energy facility.It uses the public electric grid as a "continuous battery" by sending power to the grid during the day and pulling it back at night. The cite of Goodyear's power station is located adjacent to the facility—just a short cable connection away—which should help maximize facility uptime. Eventually, REI would like to store power onsite using banks of batteries. . . The Ivanpah solar electric generating system in the Mojave desert near the California-Nevada border. Photograph: Steve Marcus/Reuters 5. Google With a long-standing commitment to renewable energy, Google became the first major company to become carbon-neutral in 2007 and aims to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030. Google has invested in 5,500 megawatts of solar capacity. The company says a clean energy deal inked in 2019 allowed for 18 separate agreements to supply Google with electricity from wind and solar projects across the world. This decade, search engine’s green energy portfolio will grow by 40%, giving the company access to an extra 1.6 gigawatt of clean electricity – the equivalent capacity of a million solar rooftops. (The Guardian) ------- These companies are leading by example, showing how large-scale investments in solar power can significantly reduce carbon footprints and promote sustainability. Their efforts contribute not only to their own environmental goals but also inspire other businesses to pursue green initiatives, making them true champions of green this St. Patrick's Day. If your household or company is looking to level up to reliable, affordable energy in 2024, contact us at US Solar Supplier powered by our EPC, Amercius Energy.
