Apple's desire to have its Arizona sapphire plant run entirely on renewable energy from day one has spurred the construction of new solar and geothermal power projects in the region, a new report says.
Tech giant Apple is said to have negotiated directly with Arizona utility Salt River Project (SRP) to ensure the new facility could be operated without the use of fossil fuel-burning power plants, according to Bloomberg. The additional green energy capacity was one of several concessions — alongside new on-site power infrastructure, expedited permit processing, and financial incentives — made by commercial and governmental entities in the state in order to land Apple's business.
SRP has signed several new agreements to purchase as much as 75 MWe from renewable sources in recent months, though it is unclear how much of that is related to the Apple deal. The utility has added power from the 25 MWe Cove Fort Geothermal Project in Beaver County, Utah as well as from the 50 MWe John L. Featherstone geothermal plant in the Imperial Valley in Southern California.
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