Apple moves to finance clean energy push
Apple has issued $1.5bn in bonds that are earmarked to finance clean energy projects across the entirety of their business operations. The proceeds from the green bond sales will be put towards financing renewable energy, energy storage and efficiency, green buildings and resource conservation. It will cover Apple’s home in Cupertino, California and other business and manufacturing operations around the world.
"This will allow investors to show they will put their money where their hearts and concerns are," Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, told Reuters. She also noted that the recent Paris agreement on climate was a key factor in launching the green bond — and they join other global companies who pledged similar action.
At present, according to Apple’s environmental responsibility website page, 100% of US-based operations and data centers — and 87% of global operations — run on renewable energy, including their Prineville, Oregon-based data center with a “micro-hydro” project that uses the natural drops of the Deschutes River to help power the facility.
Apple has faced past criticism on their record, however, Greenpeace, in 2014 lauded Apple for their environmental record, awarding them nearly “straight A’s” in their "Clicking Clean: How Companies are Creating the Green Internet" report.