Amazon plans for two brand-new renewable energy projects in Ireland and in the U.S.

On August 1, 2019, Amazon announced a plan for two new renewable energy projects in Ireland and in Virginia.

The initiative follows a dispute between the company's employees and its stakeholders. At the beginning of 2019, 7,500 Amazon employees put pressure on the company's administration to take action against global warming and implement a viable plan. However, the plan was rejected by the board.

Amazon already utilizes green-solution strategies to reduce its carbon footprint. Its projects that manipulate renewable energy sources have significantly reduced the company's CO₂ emission. Nevertheless, some of the employees believe that this strategy is not adequate and will continue petitioning for a more drastic plan to tackle climate change.

Now, Amazon is planning to create a wind farm in Ireland and a solar farm in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Both projects, that are expected to be completed within the next year, will produce 168,000 MWh every year. The company's purpose is to power its units totally by renewable energy. "Playing a significant role in helping to reduce the sources of human-induced climate change is an important commitment for Amazon. Major investments in renewable energy are a critical step to address our carbon footprint globally. We will continue to invest in these projects, and look forward to additional investments this year and beyond," Kara Hurstsaid, Amazon Director of Sustainability, stated.  

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, Apple is currently the company with the most installed solar capacity in the United States with 393.3 MW. The company's headquarters, located in California, are totally powered by renewable energy produced from solar cells and biogas fuel.  Amazon comes 2^nd and Target 3^rd with an installed capacity of 329.8 MW and 242.4 MW, respectively.

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