Apple to build battery facility in California in efforts to meet carbon neutrality goals

The firm, which committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2030 last year, plans to bring nearly 8 gigawatts of clean energy online for some 110 of its manufacturing partners.

Its new battery facility will be capable of storing 240 megawatt-hours of energy, and will support the company’s 130-megawatt solar farm that provides all of its renewable energy in California.

It said it would help smooth out the intermittent output of wind and solar power and help bolster its distributed storage capabilities in Santa Clara Valley and through Apple Park’s microgrid.

The energy storage facility will reportedly be powered using 85 lithium-ion “megapacks” made by electric-car maker Tesla.

In 2019, Apple nearly doubled the number of its suppliers that had committed to run their production lines using 100 per cent clean energy.

“We are firmly committed to helping our suppliers become carbon neutral by 2030 and are thrilled that companies who’ve joined us span industries and countries around the world, including Germany, China, the US, India, and France,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president for environment.

“In a year like no other, Apple continued to work with a global network of colleagues, companies, and advocates to help make our environmental efforts and everything we do a force for good in people’s lives – and to work alongside the communities most impacted by climate change.”

Apple said it has been consistently reducing its carbon footprint in recent years as it makes progress towards its 2030 target.

Last month it announced plans to establish a silicon design centre in Munich, Germany, a state-of-the-art facility that will be focused on 5G and future wireless technologies.