Apple is fending off some criticism from Greenpeace about how it runs its operations in support of iCloud. Greenpeace recently gave failing grades to Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft for using a lot of coal to power data centers (it’s important to note that the computers for “cloud” services are not, themselves, located in clouds, as that would be impossible and lead to those computers crashing to earth on account of gravity). Apple is countering the criticism by releasing some of its own information that says Greenpeace’s numbers are all screwy.
Apple said its new iCloud data centre would be the greenest ever built, and that Greenpeace had wildly over-estimated its energy demand. The new facility would use just one-fifth of the electricity estimated by Greenpeace, the company said. It would eventually draw 60% of its on-site power from renewable sources.
“Our data centre in North Carolina will draw about 20 megawatts at full capacity,” an Apple spokeswoman said. “We believe this industry-leading project will make Maiden the greenest data centre ever built.”
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