Amazon hits 100 percent renewable energy target seven years ahead of target – Asia Pacific

In 2019, Amazon set a goal for all electricity used in its global operations — including data centers, corporate buildings, grocery stores and fulfillment centers — to come from 100% renewable sources by 2030. Amazon announced it had achieved that goal seven years ahead of schedule.

The company has become the world’s largest corporate buyer of renewable energy for the fourth consecutive year (as of 2020), according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, and has invested billions of dollars in more than 500 solar and wind projects worldwide.

Highlighting this achievement, Kara Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer in Amazon he said, “Hitting our renewable energy target is an incredible accomplishment, and we’re proud of the work we’ve done to get to this point seven years early. We also know this is just a blip, and Amazon’s work to decarbonize its business won’t be the same every year — we’ll continue to make progress while constantly evolving on our path to 2040.”

Speaking about its future plans, she added: “The teams will remain ambitious and continue to do what is right for the business, its customers and the planet. That’s why the company will continue to invest in solar and wind projects, as well as supporting other forms of carbon-free energy such as nuclear, battery storage and new technologies that can help power operations for decades to come.”

As of 2019, Amazon has enabled renewable energy projects in 27 countries. The company was the first corporation to enable utility-scale renewable energy projects in India, Greece, South Africa, Japan, and Indonesia, among others. To achieve this, Amazon worked with policymakers to enable first-of-its-kind policies that help corporations support the construction of new solar and wind projects in these countries.

Renewable energy has also been incorporated into Amazon’s broader corporate footprint. Amazon’s HQ2 in Virginia is designed to operate with zero carbon emissions, with its electricity consumption offset by an on-site solar farm. In addition to utility-scale projects, they have also enabled nearly 300 rooftop and building solar projects at Amazon fulfillment centers, Whole Foods Market stores, and other corporate buildings around the world. In total, Amazon’s renewable energy portfolio will help avoid an estimated 27.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year when all projects are operational.

Amazon has enabled more than 80 renewable energy projects in the Asia-Pacific region to date, including projects in India, Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea. In India, Amazon has invested in 50 wind and solar projects to date. The company is also the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in India, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

In 2022, Amazon launched its first six utility-scale projects in India. These include three wind-solar hybrid projects located in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, as well as three solar farms in Rajasthan, representing a total renewable energy capacity of 920 MW. According to a new economic model developed by Amazon, between 2014 and 2022, the company’s wind and solar farms helped generate an estimated Rs 2,885 crore of investment for the Indian public.