On Tuesday, Feb. 28, Amazon announced that it would install solar panels on the rooftops of 15 of its warehouses. By the end of 2017, the company will have millions of square footage solar arrays.
Amazon Solar Power Plans
According to Ars Technica, Amazon has plans for ambitious solar power roll out at 15 of its fulfillment and sorting centers around the U.S. The company's massive warehouses in Delaware, Nevada, Maryland, New Jersey and California account for millions in rooftop square footage. It is estimated that the solar power-generating systems that will be installed are expected to reflect ultimately reflect 41 MW of capacity.
Amazon announced in a press release that a solar power-generating installation could generate as much as 80 percent of a single warehouse's annual energy needs, depending on various factors such as the specific project, and time of year. That energy could provide electricity various tasks, from powering Amazon Robotics at fulfillment centers to keeping the lights on.
Amazon To Work On Sustainability
Amazon has built out wind and solar farms in Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, Indiana and Texas to produce the power needed to sustain its data centers around the U.S. This is just the latest of the company's ambitious projects. Amazon also plans to build floating warehouses for its drones.
According to Dave Clark, Amazon's senior vice president of worldwide operations, the company is putting its scale and inventive culture to work on sustainability and protect the environment. Amazon can also keep business costs low by diversifying its energy portfolio. These further savings can pass along to customers.
The Seattle Times reported that, by the year 2020, 50 Amazon facilities around the globe will be powered by the sun. That would add up to a significant percentage of Amazon operations. The company has 149 facilities outside the U.S and about 95 warehouses across the nation.
