Greenpeace accuses Apple of using "dirty energy"

The Apple of data center in North Carolina.

 

A report by the environmental organization leading the energy-intensive service icloud. Apple denies and contests the results of the study.

 

Relations become tense again between Apple and Greenpeace. The environmental organization, which has already forced the manufacturer of the iPhone and the iPad to remove toxic materials from its products, but now attacks the computer infrastructure of Apple. In a report released Tuesday (pdf ), it ranks among the dirtiest in the world with those of Microsoft and Amazon. "Apple is far behind Google and Facebook, taking the lead on this issue. It is a shame for a company that has built its reputation on its difference, "said a spokesman for Greenpeace.

With this report, the environmental organization wants to draw attention to a cause of pollution is still little known. To store and process the billions of data that travels over the Internet each day, the computer giants have built imposing "data centers", data centers that house thousands of computers each. This is what is known as cloud computing, or "cloud computing". However, these buildings require considerable power. "Some people drink the equivalent of nearly 250,000 households in Europe," Greenpeace points.

In recent years, these Internet players are engaged in a technological race to reduce the consumption of their data centers. But Greenpeace, this is not enough. Companies must also look at the type of energy they consume, just like Facebook, which "has taken the first step in the right direction with the construction of a data center in Sweden can be fully powered by renewable energy. "

The installation "the greenest ever built," says Apple

According to Greenpeace, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon are much less virtuous. They settle "quickly by not taking sufficient account of the type of energy, and relying heavily on dirty energy to power their cloud," that is to say, coal and nuclear, in the language of ecological organization. Apple, in particular, has invested $ 1 billion to create one of the largest data centers in the world, North Carolina, where the energy mix leaves a very small place in renewable (2.5%).

Apple quickly responded to these accusations . In a statement, the company revealed that its data center, when fully operational, in fact consume five times less than what Greenpeace has estimated, or 20 megawatts. It also suggests that its data center will be powered by 60% of renewable energy produced on site, thanks to a vast field of solar panels.The installation will eventually be "the greenest ever built," promises a spokesman.

According to the specialized site Data Center Knowledge , "Apple has clearly received a higher rating its energy from coal" if Greenpeace had used the figure of 20 megawatts, not 100. Side of the environmental organization, is welcomed on Tuesday evening that Apple is more transparent about its energy consumption. Amazon and Microsoft, also accused, had not yet responded Wednesday.