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Data Centers

Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

By Lyndsey Gilpin March 10, 2014, 4:19 PM PDT

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Screen Shot 2014-03-10 at 4.22.54 PM.png
Screen Shot 2014-03-10 at 4.22.54 PM.png
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Data centers use massive amounts of energy

Image: Green House Data

Data centers use massive amounts of energy

According to Green House Data, the world’s data centers use as much energy as the output of 30 nuclear power plants, which is about 1.5 percent of all energy use in the world. Data center traffic is expected to quadruple by 2016. Big companies like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Apple are starting to reduce their carbon footprint with clean energy-powered data centers. 

Image: Green House Data
Apple data center.jpg
Apple data center.jpg
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Apple's data centers powered 100% by renewable energy

Image: Apple

Apple's data centers powered 100% by renewable energy

Last year, Apple said its data centers are now 100 percent powered by renewable energy. That’s a 114 percent increase since 2010.

Image: Apple
Apple_data center.jpg
Apple_data center.jpg
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Apple's renewable energy-powered data centers

Apple's renewable energy-powered data centers

Apple’s data center in Maiden, North Carolina is LEED Platinum certified. The onsite solar photovoltaic array, which is 100 acres, has an annual  production capacity of 42 million kWh of clean energy. 

apple map.jpg
apple map.jpg
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Apple's data center design

Image: Apple

Apple's data center design

Apple’s Maiden, North Carolina data center is a model of energy efficiency. In October 2013, they opened a second photovoltaic facility on nearby land and built a fuel-cell installation, which uses directed biogas, that is the largest non-utility installation in the country. The power sources are connected to the local energy grid and produce enough energy to power 13,600 homes a year. 

Image: Apple
Bloom Energy_servers for data center.jpg
Bloom Energy_servers for data center.jpg
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Bloom Energy supplying fuel cells to Apple

Image: Bloom Energy

Bloom Energy supplying fuel cells to Apple

In 2012, Apple announced that California-based Bloom Energy would provide the solid oxide fuel cells for its data center in North Carolina. Bloom Energy also supplies fuel cells to eBay, AT&T, Adobe, and Google. 

Image: Bloom Energy
data center fb iceland_zdnet.jpg
data center fb iceland_zdnet.jpg
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Facebook's data center in Iceland

Image: ZDNet

Facebook's data center in Iceland

Facebook has 45 acres in Keflavik, Iceland to build out data centers. Iceland is a great location for these centers because of its low energy costs, cold temperatures for cooling, and high performance connections to the U.S. and Europe. 

Image: ZDNet
FB_data center in sweden.jpg
FB_data center in sweden.jpg
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Facebook's data center in Sweden

Image: Facebook

Facebook's data center in Sweden

In June of last year, Facebook announced a new data center in the Arctic Circle. Cooling costs are far lower, and the internet connection is extremely fast in this part of Sweden. It also uses hydroelectricity from a nearby river. 

Image: Facebook
graphic microsoft.jpg
graphic microsoft.jpg
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Microsoft's wind energy plan

Microsoft's wind energy plan

Late last year, Microsoft announced its Keechi wind project. The company bought 110 megawatts of energy from a wind farm near Fort Worth, Texas to power its San Antonio data center with clean energy. 

Screen Shot 2014-03-10 at 7.50.25 PM.png
Screen Shot 2014-03-10 at 7.50.25 PM.png
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Microsoft's energy-smart buildings

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft's energy-smart buildings

Microsoft is studying how to use IT to reduce environmental impacts in their buildings and data centers instead of retrofitting outdated systems. According to the EPA, Microsoft is purchasing enough green power to meet 80 percent of their electricity use in the U.S. 

Image: Microsoft
800px-Google_Campus,_Mountain_View,_CA.jpg
800px-Google_Campus,_Mountain_View,_CA.jpg
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Google's Mountain View campus

Image: Wikipedia

Google's Mountain View campus

Google has made 15 solar and wind investments, totaling more than $1 billion. That means 34 percent of the company’s operations are powered by renewable energy. 

Image: Wikipedia
google_wind.JPG
google_wind.JPG
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Google's wind farms

Image: Google

Google's wind farms

Google has invested greatly in wind farms. To date, the company has signed six contracts for more than 630 MW of energy, which is enough to power 210,000 U.S. homes. 

Image: Google
google_berkeley.jpg
google_berkeley.jpg
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Google's rainwater retention pond in South Carolina

Image: Google

Google's rainwater retention pond in South Carolina

At the Berkeley County, South Carolina data center, Google is experimenting with a rainwater retention pond to cool the systems. 

Image: Google
google_water cooling.jpg
google_water cooling.jpg
Photos: How Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft data centers are using clean energy

Google's water cooling system in Taiwan

Image: Google

Google's water cooling system in Taiwan

When temperatures are cooler at night, the water in these pipes cools off and is stored in special tanks. During the day, the water is pumped through the facilities to cool the servers. 

Image: Google
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By Lyndsey Gilpin
Lyndsey Gilpin is a former Staff Writer for TechRepublic, covering sustainability and entrepreneurship. She's co-author of the book Follow the Geeks.
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