By BLOOMBERG
Apple Inc reached agreement to power its expanding operations in Singapore with solar energy, part of a broader push by the world’s largest company by market value to tap cleaner sources of energy around the globe.
Beginning in January, the maker of the iPhone and Apple Watch will source 40 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of power from rooftop solar installations made by the Sunseap Group, according to a statement from the Singapore-based company.
“In addition to Apple’s corporate office in Ang Mo Kio, two other buildings are expected to come up in 2016 in One North and Orchard Road locations in Singapore,” Lawrence Wu, director at Sunseap Group, said by phone. “We expect to power these buildings and any more offices that Apple opens in future.”
Apple has the right to ask for a minimum increase in power requirement above 40GWh every year as needs expand, Wu said.
Solar energy systems atop more than 800 buildings in Singapore in Sunseap’s portfolio will be used to power the project, according to the statement.
Renewable energy
“We’re thrilled to be working with Sunseap and the government of Singapore to pioneer new ways to bring solar energy to the country – and bring Apple even closer to our goal of powering our facilities around the world with 100% renewable energy,” Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice-president for environment, policy and social initiatives, said in the release.
As of 2014, 100% of Apple’s US operations and 87% worldwide are powered by renewable energy. Worldwide operations include data centres, all corporate offices, and more than 450 Apple retail stores, Apple said on its website.
Earlier this month, Apple was named along with Microsoft Corp and Google parent Alphabet Inc as among companies doing the most to fight climate change.
In October, Apple announced plans to build an additional 200 megawatts of solar power in China and to push suppliers to make similar commitments. The solar investment comes atop two previously announced solar farms in southern China that have now been completed, Apple said in a statement at the time.
Besides Apple, Sunseap is working with various government agencies and energy service companies to provide new clean energy product offerings, Frank Phuan, the group’s managing director, said in the release.
Sunseap’s lenders include Goldman Sachs Group Inc, DBS Group Holdings Ltd, United Overseas Bank Ltd, and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp among others.
— By Anindya Upadhyay
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