Another tech company switching to green power is eBay, which has just announced that it has signed a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement with Lightsource BP. This agreement will enable the tech giant to power its data centers with renewable energy from a solar farm in Louisiana, helping it to reach its sustainability goals.
The 345 megawatt Ventress Solar project is privately funded, and construction is expected to begin within the next year, with a view for completion by 2021. The solar farm will generate over 600,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean energy a year when complete.
Renee Morin, Chief Sustainability Officer, eBay, expressed that investing in clean energy remains a top priority for the company, and it aims to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2025.
Further to this, he said: “This project enables us to source the clean energy equivalent of our data center. Our collaboration with Lightsource bp and McDonald’s uniquely propels our shared goal to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy.”
Commenting on the deal, Kevin Smith, CEO of the Americas for Lightsource BP, said: “This agreement is a great example of the teamwork needed to achieve our mutual goals for a healthier, more sustainable and resilient planet and economy for generations to come.”
He added: “Customer aggregation deals such as this allow businesses of varying sizes and energy needs to come together and spur meaningful development of clean and affordable energy sources in the US.”