Apple is leading the development of two new wind and solar energy farms in Illinois in Virginia that will help not only bring green energy to its own operations, but also those of Akamai, Etsy, and Swiss Re.
The new projects will generate 290 megawatts, enough to power 74,000 homes, to the electric grid that serves much of the eastern U.S. Apple is leading the development in part to bring renewable energy power to other companies.
“At Apple, we’re proud to power all of our operations around the world with 100 percent renewable energy,” Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, said in a statement. “In the process, we’ve charted a course for other companies and organizations to purchase renewable energy and transition their own operations to greener power.”
The companies will purchase wind power from a farm near Chicago and solar power from a project near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Power from both projects is expected to come online during the next two years.
In April, Apple said its global facilities are entirely powered with clean energy. It also established a $300 million fund to encourage its suppliers to invest more in solar and wind power in Asia.