Apple has announced the launch of a new clean energy fund in China, which the company claims will support the adoption of renewable energies. The project aims to reach 1GW of clean energy – the equivalent of powering nearly one million homes.
The company, together with ten partners, will invest $300m (£228m) under the China Clean Energy Fund in order to connect suppliers with renewable energy sources. It will be used to develop projects “totalling more than 1GW of renewable energy in China”, according to the tech giant.
The investment will address issues that smaller companies have in accessing alternative energy sources by giving participants greater purchasing power.
Apple vice-president of environment, policy and social initiatives Lisa Jackson said: “At Apple, we are proud to join with companies that are stepping up to address the climate challenge. We’re thrilled so many of our suppliers are participating in the fund and hope this model can be replicated globally to help businesses of all sizes make a significant positive impact on our planet.”
Greenpeace East Asia climate and energy campaign manager Yuan Ying commented on the announcement, saying that Apple had shown leadership in promoting renewable energy in China, but more could be done.
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By GlobalDataYing said: “Apple and its suppliers show how corporations can do their part to contribute to China’s energy transition. We would like to see local Chinese tech giants follow suit.”
China’s pollution problem
China has a serious pollution problem. Along with India, it accounts for more than half of all deaths caused by air pollution.
In 2017, the government banned construction in Beijing in an effort to tackle air pollution, and Apple responded by building solar and wind projects to counteract emissions from its manufacturing plants in the country.
At the time, Apple CEO Tim Cook said: “We’re committed to leaving the world better than we found it. After years of hard work, we’re proud to have reached this significant milestone.
“We’re going to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible with the materials in our products, the way we recycle them, our facilities and our work with suppliers to establish new creative and forward-looking sources of renewable energy because we know the future depends on it.”
Apple has incorporated renewable energy across all its facilities worldwide. It announced in April that it had gone ‘completely green’, after installing solar panels across its Apple Park campus roofs.
