Amazon Achieves 100% Renewable Energy Goal Seven Years Ahead of Schedule – pv magazine International

July 11, 2024 Ryan Kennedy

From pv magazine USA

Amazon set a goal in 2019 to have all the electricity used in its global operations be 100% renewable by 2030. The company recently announced it had achieved that goal in 2023, seven years ahead of schedule.

To be clear, Amazon is not a carbon-neutral company. The retail giant uses gas-powered trucks and flies jets. Some of its data centers run on electric grids that still rely heavily on fossil fuels.

In many cases, Amazon meets its electricity needs by investing in Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), which represent a financial investment in off-site renewable energy sources. RECs are a common path for corporations pursuing clean energy goals. However, RECs have been shown to have AND limited impact on increased renewable energy production.

Still, Amazon has invested billions of dollars in more than 500 solar and wind projects around the world, which together generate the equivalent of about 7.6 million U.S. homes. It has also pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, which would include decarbonizing transportation and logistics, which is no easy feat. While achieving that goal on the basis of RECs would make for good headlines, truly directly decarbonizing Amazon’s own operations will take time.

“We knew from the beginning that our path to net zero emissions would face many obstacles and would need to adapt to changes in both our business and the world. However, as with all of our long-term goals, we remain optimistic and focused on achieving them,” Amazon said in a press release.

Once all projects are operational, Amazon’s renewable energy portfolio is expected to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 27.8 million tons per year.

In addition to investing in utility-scale projects, the company has also implemented nearly 300 solar energy projects on the roofs and buildings of Amazon fulfillment centers, Whole Foods Market stores and other corporate buildings around the world.

Amazon’s commitment to renewable energy goes beyond investment. The company is committed to developing solutions to the growing network connection problems in the United States are probably the most serious bottlenecks to the transition to clean energy.

“According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world needs to add or replace 80 million kilometers of grid by 2040 to meet climate goals, and more than 1,500 GW of renewable energy projects are in the pipeline worldwide,” Amazon said. “To help address this problem, teams at Amazon are working with energy regulators to find new ways to support grid modernization, remove permitting barriers, and implement technologies that increase network efficiency.”

In total, Amazon reported a 3 percent emissions reduction in 2023, its largest reduction since making its climate pledge in 2019.

read more pv usa magazine reception Amazon solar activity here.

Popular content