The Untold Story of Internet Giants and Distributed Photovoltaics

Renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking once said, "We are at the most dangerous moment in the development of humanity." This statement is not an exaggeration. The increasingly deteriorating environment and the depletion of primitive energy sources all serve as warnings that it is time for an energy transition. In recent years, leading figures in internet technology have been at the forefront, already taking action by shifting their strategies towards distributed photovoltaics.

０１The 20MW distributed photovoltaic rooftop at Apple's new headquarters, Campus.

Every move made by Apple Inc. attracts global attention, and the construction of its new headquarters, Campus, currently the top priority among all projects within the company, has garnered worldwide acclaim.

From the latest aerial drone footage, it can be observed that this largest office building in the world is not only magnificent but also a massive new energy power station. The new headquarters covers an area of 2.8 million square feet, featuring a ring-shaped architecture with a large courtyard in the center, while the roofs around are adorned with 20 megawatts of solar panels.

Such a grand installation of distributed photovoltaics not only showcases Apple's image as an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient company but also hints at the tech giant's future endeavors in the field of renewable energy.

Last year, Apple Inc. acquired another solar power station located in California. According to industry sources, Apple has long been investing in the renewable energy industry and has declared that 100% of the electricity needed for all its operations will come from renewable sources.

This signifies Apple's official entry into the renewable energy sector on a large scale, where it will directly sell excess renewable energy generated by its facilities to customers. Additionally, it may also venture into power grid supply settlements.

０2 Google has long been leading the way in the field of renewable energy.

Compared to Apple, Google has already taken the lead in the field of renewable energy. The new office building where Google employees have begun working is entirely a green energy park. From aerial photographs, Google's headquarters, covered by solar panels, resemble a vast blue ocean. Stepping into Google's headquarters, one can see traces of solar energy everywhere.

Do you think that's all? Google is currently the world's largest corporate buyer of renewable energy, committing to purchasing wind and solar power on a large scale. As early as 2017, Google pledged to transition to 100% renewable energy.

Furthermore, Google's collaboration with renewable energy companies has been ongoing in recent years, with the company aiming to succeed in partnerships with large-scale wind farms. For example, in Oklahoma, Google partnered with a wind energy facility spanning 50,000 acres in Minco to supply energy to Google's large data center in Pryor, Oklahoma.

Google also acquired a 12.5% stake in the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project in Kenya from Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems. Additionally, NextEra Energy, which owns wind farms in the United States and Canada, with approximately 115 wind farms, has also partnered with Google.

At the same time, Google has invested in the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System and has recently begun collaborating with SunPower Corporation to manufacture residential solar panels.

０3 Microsoft aims to achieve "zero emissions."

The internet giant Microsoft cannot afford to lag behind in the field of renewable energy. Recently, Microsoft signed its largest wind power purchase agreement to date, providing approximately 237 megawatts of wind power resources for its cloud services data center in Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA. This agreement brings Microsoft's wind power resources in the United States to 500 megawatts and is expected to enable Microsoft's data center in Cheyenne to achieve "zero emissions."

In the solar energy sector, Microsoft is also making strides. It has installed 2,288 solar panels in its Silicon Valley campus.

So, who is the leader in distributed photovoltaics among Apple, Google, and Microsoft?

In terms of the types of business cooperation, Apple and Google have emerged as exemplary cases of cross-industry integration and competition, based on their core competitiveness in new technology, as they venture into renewable energy. Through this integration and competition across different sectors, Apple and Google have formed a cooperative relationship between energy companies and new technology companies, thereby realizing common business interests.

As long as administrative permits required by the free market are relaxed, companies can sell excess electricity to professional power departments when purchasing electricity from traditional sectors, becoming "prosumers." Based on established commercial contracts, Apple and Google can sell contracts for partial electricity management rights, thereby generating income through energy savings in situations of higher electricity prices.

While Microsoft is making efforts to achieve "zero emissions" with a focus on wind power resources, Google's faster entry into the solar energy sector may give it an advantage in the current situation and scale.

The accelerated pace of entry into the energy industry by these companies may not be surprising because they are well aware that investments in solar energy will bring them significant returns. As industry giants, Apple, Google, and Microsoft are actively pursuing energy substitution. In the future, more companies are expected to follow suit, and distributed photovoltaics are likely to become a widely adopted standard for energy substitution by enterprises.