Apple Is Investing In Two Of The World's Largest Wind Turbines To Power Its New Data Center

Apple has announced plans to invest in two of the world's largest wind turbines in Denmark and says its huge Danish data center is now operational. 

Apple announced its Danish data center plans in 2015 and today revealed its 45,000 square-meter facility in Viborg, Denmark is finally operational. Apple had originally planned to build two data centers in Denmark at a second $921m facility in Aarbenraa, Denmark. Howwever, the tech giant abruptly cancelled it in 2019.  

The Viborg data center supports Apple's App Store, Apple Music, iMessage, Siri, and other services in Europe, according to Apple. 

SEE: IT Data Center Green Energy Policy (TechRepublic Premium)

Apple says the Danish data center is run entirely by renewable energy from local projects, including the Esbjerg wind project and a Danish solar project in Thisted, Northern Jutland. Apple is developing the wind and solar projects in partnership with European Energy. 

Esbjerg, on the south-east cost of Denmark, will be home to two 200-meter-tall turbines that are expected to produce 62 gigawatt hours each year. That's enough to power almost 20,000 homes if it were put into the grid, but only surplus power not consumed by Apple's data center will go to the Danish grid. The two giant turbines will serve as a test site for offshore wind turbines. 

Apple has also provided an update on its plan to extend its carbon neutral ambitions beyond its own operations to include its manufacturing supply chain, and product life cycle. It aims for its supply chain to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Varta, a German firm that reportedly supplies mini batteries for Apple AirPods, has committed to running its Apple production with totally renewable energy. Other Apple suppliers in EMEA working toward clean energy are Henkel and tesa SE from Germany, STMicroelectronics in Switzerland, DSM Engineering in the Netherlands, and Solvay, a materials and chemical company, based in Belgium. 

SEE: Apple vows to be carbon neutral by 2030, supply chain included

DSM's wind power purchase agreement in the Netherlands and STMicroelectronics's solar carport in Morocco are part of the renewable solutions for Apple suppliers.

"Combatting climate change demands urgent action and global partnership — and the Viborg data center is powerful proof that we can rise to this generational challenge," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, in a statement. 

"Investments in clean energy deliver breakthrough innovations that bring clean energy and good jobs to businesses and local communities. This is an area where we have to lead — for the sake of our planet and future generations."