Apple’s New Green Data Center

In an attempt to show the world both a) how rich they are, and b) how awesome they are, Apple has created what may well be one of the greenest data centers in the world.

Image courtesy Gizmodo

Their new facility in Maiden, North Carolina does not require any power from “the grid” at all and - as is usually the case with “Net Zero” buildings - it relies on more than one source of power. The first is a 100-acre, 20-megawatt solar power array on the land surrounding the data center, which will supply 42 MILLION kWh every year. The array is the largest on-site end-user owned solar array in the United States (!). 2012 will also see the creation of a 5-megawatt biogas fuel cell facility (which will pump out over 40 MILLION kWh a year) next to the data center. In keeping with the theme, it will be the largest facility of it’s kind in the U.S. as well.

One of the few buildings of its kind to achieve the (difficult to earn) LEED Platinum certification, the facility incorporates a variety of energy-saving measures, including a white cool-roof design, high efficiency LED lightning, high-voltage power distribution to reduce power loss, and more.

Here is the original report from Apple on their environmental efforts in regards to their facilities. It’s quite interesting and informative, and it’s great to see a major corporation taking environmental awareness and energy-efficiency seriously.

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