THE Apple data center are powered for the 100% from renewable energy and, overall, the iPhone company meets 75% of its electricity requirement through clean energy. In just three years, theApple has made great progress in the energy sector, going from 35% in 2010 to the current 75%. The ultimate goal is to satisfy all (100%) of its energy demand by clean energy.
Not allclean energy used by Apple will be produced on site. Apple will buy electricity coming from clean sources from third-party companies without giving up its starting grid.
When it comes to Apple, its data centers are particularly interesting. Among these, the Maiden data center, in North Carolina, was designed from the ground up and purpose-built to maximize energy efficiency. This data center mainly handles iCloud traffic and has got the LEED Platinum certification by the US Green Building Council. Deserved recognition if we consider the characteristics:
- A refrigeration system that uses water stored during the day, while columns of air take care of it at night. This system optimizes the efficiency of the chiller with significant energy savings: the chiller can be turned off for over 75% of the time.
- Extrame precision in energy management with variable speed fans that adjust their energy consumption according to the real needs of the server.
- A white roof design that maximizes the reflectivity of sunlight.
- Strictly energy-efficient LED lighting combined with motion sensors. The light is activated only when the sensors detect human presence.
- Constant monitoring in real time with an analysis of the power used during each operation.
- For the construction, the team called by Apple used 15% recycled materials derived for 93% from construction waste recovered from landfills. The other materials used were purchased in locations not too far from the construction site in order to reduce energy costs for transport.