Amazon Builds 80 MW Solar Farm in Virginia

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amazon energy manageAmazon Web Services is working with Community Energy to support the construction and operation of an 80 MW solar farm in Virginia, called Amazon Solar Farm US East. The new solar farm is expected to start generating about 170,000 MWh annually as early as October 2016. Amazon Solar Farm US East will be the largest solar farm in the state of Virginia, with all energy generated delivered into the electrical grids that supply both current and future AWS Cloud data centers.

In November 2014, AWS shared its long-term commitment to achieve 100 percent renewable energy usage for the global AWS infrastructure footprint. As of April 2015, about 25 percent of the power consumed by AWS’ global infrastructure came from renewable energy sources. The company has set an interim goal of increasing that percentage to at least 40 percent by the end of 2016.

The power purchase agreement (PPA) for Amazon Solar Farm US East follows a similar PPA for Amazon Wind Farm (Fowler Ridge) in Benton County, Indiana, that was announced in January 2015 and is expected to generate about 500,000 MWh of wind power annually.

Environment + Energy Leader