Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple's Data Centers Now Running on 100% Renewable Energy

macrumors.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 89 posts

Re: Apple's Data Centers Now Running on 100% Renewable Energy

#61

Post by gurkendoktor »

prodigal_erik wrote: post #57
niggler wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, their products are really improving in the area of energy efficiency EDIT: If you are going to downvote, at least point to proof that it isn't happening

They've all but abandoned making upgradable tools in favor of disposable appliances, which severely dilutes the energy savings from running them.

Mac Minis are actually more upgradable than they used to be, and they are their "greenest" computer I think.

The software side is of course terrible. They could happily lock me out from the latest and greatest OS X - I don't care - just take my money and offer a support plan to keep 10.6 secure for the next ten years.

Re: Apple's Data Centers Now Running on 100% Renewable Energy

#62

Post by robododo »

Too bad most of iCloud isn't even on Apple's DCs: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/02/icloud_runs_on_micro...

I'm not sure what all they use, but much of their storage is still done by msft and amzn. I do not believe this has changed since the article was written.

Re: Apple's Data Centers Now Running on 100% Renewable Energy

#63

Post by hyperbovine »

sliverstorm wrote: post #37
hyperbovine wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or, thrilled when they fail to deceive you. Many companies exploit this nowadays.

I'm more than happy to have companies exploit me via being honest

Me too. Just commenting on the strange world we now inhabit, in which you gain karma for failing to do the wrong thing. I worry about this...

Re: Apple's Data Centers Now Running on 100% Renewable Energy

#64

Post by yalogin »

salem wrote: post #59
rfurlong wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Never said they were lying. I am saying its a purely PR number that doesn't accurately depict the amount of energy that is used for them thrive as much as they have.

Basically, they are talking about their corporate operations and ignoring the actual resources consumed during their products' lifecycle from manufacture->distribution->sale->use->recycling/disposal. Hence my comment that they are green-washing.

Wow. Sorry to harp on this but you can criticize Apple when they deserve it not because you want to. You are essentially saying they are lying (green-washing) and accusing them of covering up their energy usage in their manufacturing flow. When all they talked about was their energy usage on the corporate side. Are you even reading the same article that the OP posted? Where are you reading that Apple tried to lie? This is a non-story, nothing to read into it at all. A simple nod would have been enough. There is no conspiracy or lying or cover up here. If you see it point it to me.

Re: Apple's Data Centers Now Running on 100% Renewable Energy

#65

Post by salem »

yalogin wrote: post #64
salem wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Basically, they are talking about their corporate operations and ignoring the actual resources consumed during their products' lifecycle from manufacture->distribution->sale->use->recycling/disposal. Hence my comment that they are green-washing.

Wow. Sorry to harp on this but you can criticize Apple when they deserve it not because you want to. You are essentially saying they are lying (green-washing) and accusing them of covering up their energy usage in their manufacturing flow. When all they talked about was their energy usage on the corporate side. Are you even reading the same article that the OP posted? Where are you reading that Apple tried to lie? Th…

I never said they lied, spin is a better word for it. Look it up http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwashing

From their website (http://www.apple.com/environment/our-footprint/) facilities make up 2% of the 'footprint' of Apple products. Making a big deal about 75% of 2% being green, I call that green-washing. I agree, it's a non-story.

Re: Apple's Data Centers Now Running on 100% Renewable Energy

#67

Post by SenorWilson »

plugger wrote: post #66

Personally I'm more interested in WHAT they're running in these data centers. I suspect it's not wall to wall Mac Mini's. So what's Apple's back end running on?

Here's a possible answers: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06/09/apple_maiden_data_ce...

Possibly giving HP some money :)

Re: Apple's Data Centers Now Running on 100% Renewable Energy

#68

Post by toomuchtodo »

SenorWilson wrote: post #67
plugger wrote: post #66

Personally I'm more interested in WHAT they're running in these data centers. I suspect it's not wall to wall Mac Mini's. So what's Apple's back end running on?

Here's a possible answers: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06/09/apple_maiden_data_ce... Possibly giving HP some money :)

You'd think they'd go Open Compute and cut out the middle man (Dell, HP, etc).

Re: Apple's Data Centers Now Running on 100% Renewable Energy

#70

Post by toomuchtodo »

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #36
anonfunction wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"... we arrive at 496,804,500,000 square meters or 496,805 square kilometers (191,817 square miles) as the area required to power the world with solar panels. This is roughly equal to the area of Spain."

As was pointed out, that's the whole world, not the United States. And the Sahara Desert is 3.629 million square miles. Sounds like that would be a great place to site 200,000 square miles of solar panels. Of course, this would be infeasible for any number of reasons ranging from geopolitics to superconductors, which is why it's a thought experiment.

Someone's already on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertec

Post reply on HN