Amazon has been rapidly acquiring renewable energy in the past year, adding about 100 new projects and increasing its generating capacity by 33 gigawatts. That's more than 10 gigawatts more than its nearest competitor. Apple.
The additions make Amazon the largest purchaser of renewable energy. BloombergNEF. The company's total portfolio is roughly split between utility-scale wind and solar farms and on-site solar projects. In total, Amazon says it's enough to power 8.3 million homes.
Amazon's renewable and storage contracts allow it to reduce emissions from purchased electricity, known as Scope 2 emissions. Data centers.
Still, The company is still far from eliminating its carbon footprint. Like many companies, Most of Amazon's emissions come from Scope 3, which covers activities it controls less. This includes air travel, Includes costs such as leased buildings and building construction.
According to Amazon 2023 Sustainability ReportTotal emissions are set to peak in 2021 after rising sharply for several years. Its carbon intensity, a measure of greenhouse gas emissions divided by total sales, is also falling. (Carbon intensity is a metric favored by fast-growing organizations, as they tend to consume more fossil fuels as they grow. If they commit to zero carbon, carbon intensity tends to grow more slowly or overall emissions decline, a positive story.)
Amazon has yet to release its 2024 sustainability report, which would give a more complete picture of the company's progress toward its 2040 net zero goal.