Apple to use 100% renewable energy for manufacturing in Japan

Apple said it has partnered with component supplier Ibiden to power all of its manufacturing in Japan with 100 per cent renewable energy.

To meet the commitment, Ibiden will invest in more than 20 new renewable energy facilities, including one of the largest floating solar photovoltaic systems in the country.

"We are proud to partner with suppliers like Ibiden who recognise that renewable energy investments are good for the environment and good for business," Lisa Jackson, Apple's Vice President for Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, said in a statement this week.

Ibiden's products help bring together the integrated circuitry and chip packages in Apple devices.

Their renewable energy projects will produce over 12MW of solar power, more than the energy they need for Apple manufacturing and support Japan's nationwide efforts to limit its carbon emissions.

"Our products help Apple devices run smarter, and now we are powering our operations with smarter energy too. We are pleased to partner with Apple and lead the way in helping Japan meet its clean energy goals," said Kyoichi Yamanaka, Managing Director of Ibiden's Environment Group.

Apple and its suppliers will be generating over 2.5 billion kilowatt hours per year of clean energy for the manufacturing of Apple products by the end of 2018, equal to taking over 400,000 cars off the road for a year.

"As we continue our push to power our global operations with 100 per cent renewable energy, it is more important than ever that we help our manufacturing partners make the same transition to cleaner sources, and set an example for other companies to follow," added Jackson.

Apple has taken significant steps to protect the environment by transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy.

Today, the company is powering 100 per cent of its operations in 23 countries and more than 93 per cent of its worldwide operations, with renewable energy.