Tech giant Apple has announced plans to expand renewable energy capacity in Australia, beginning with a solar project now under construction in Lancaster, Victoria.
As part of the company’s Apple 2030 goal to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by the end of this decade, Apple is bringing more renewable energy online to address the use of its products.
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In the next five years, Apple plans to match all of the energy customers use to charge and power their Apple products with 100% clean electricity. The new renewable energy projects in Australia will drive progress toward that goal.
“By 2030, we want our users to know that all the energy it takes to charge their iPhone or power their Mac is matched with clean electricity,” Apple vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives Lisa Jackson said.
“We’re proud to do our part to support Australia’s transition to a cleaner grid and drive positive impacts for communities and nature—all while moving closer to our ambitious goal to be carbon neutral across our entire footprint.”
Through a long-term agreement with European Energy, Apple helped enable the 80MW solar project that is currently being built in Lancaster, Victoria. The project is expected to begin generating power sometime next year.
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Apple aims to grow its commitment to Australian renewable energy with multiple projects in the coming years, contributing over 1 million megawatt-hours of new clean electricity annually to Australia’s National Electricity Market before 2030.
Apple has also announced a new investment in New Zealand as part of its innovative Restore Fund initiative. Through one of the initiative’s funds, Apple and its partner Climate Asset Management have invested in a project to protect and restore 8,600ha of forestland across four sites in the Central North Island and one in the South Island.
