A new partnership between Amazon and German energy company RWE aims to create a cleaner future for cloud computing and our communities.
On June 12, Amazon and RWE announced a strategic agreement to provide renewable energy from RWE's wind and solar farms in exchange for cloud services from Amazon Web Services, according to Reuters. This clean power will help run AWS's high-energy data centers in Europe, potentially lowering their environmental footprint.
The deal supports Amazon's ambitious climate goals and addresses concerns about the skyrocketing energy demand from artificial intelligence and data centers. While digital tools continue to evolve, their energy usage can lead to significant climate-warming pollution unless powered by clean energy sources.
Long-term goals include power purchase agreements and expanded renewable development to support AWS's growing data center network.
For nearby communities, this partnership could mean cleaner air and reduced reliance on polluting, climate-warming power sources for locals. By transitioning to clean electricity, Amazon may also pave the way for lower emissions in neighboring regions, as well as potentially cheaper and more stable energy in the long run.
This announcement follows Amazon's initiatives to adopt greener practices, including expanding its electric vehicle fleet, forming new partnerships, and removing plastic from its delivery process. These efforts aim to address major criticisms of a global brand that poses significant energy use and environmental challenges related to delivery, data centers, and more.
However, Amazon still has a long way to go, as it remains one of the largest polluting brands in the world. The company faced criticism for generating over 71 million metric tons of carbon pollution in 2021 alone — more than many countries.
Corporate collaborations like this are increasingly shaping the future of our energy grid and our environment, creating accountability for some of the biggest polluters on our planet. Still, many more steps are needed to achieve true sustainability as a mainstream brand.
"Advancing digitalization and electrification are also driving up demand for electricity," Ulf Kerstin, Chief Commercial Officer of RWE Supply & Trading, said. "Our competitive portfolio of renewable and flexible energy generation is ideally suited to meet this demand."
"(The strategic partnership) enables us to look at longer-term options," Simon Stanton, RWE's head of Global Partnerships and Transactions, said.
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