Renewable energy developer X-ELIO has completed a groundbreaking solar plant project that will supply renewable energy to retail giant Amazon.
The 14 megawatt Funaki Solar Plant in Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, has an interesting twist: the plant was built on top of an old golf course, according to Renewable Energy Magazine. The project adds to the developer’s 393 MW portfolio of solar plants across Japan.
With the launch of this plant, X-ELIO has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Amazon, which has set a goal of net-zero climate emissions in its operations by 2040. According to Renewable Energy Magazine, 100% of the clean energy created by the Funaki plant will go towards this goal.
Amazon’s carbon footprint is astronomical due to its vast portfolio of services, though the company has made efforts in recent years to mitigate its impact on the planet. The company has recently committed to using recycled water in some of its data centers in the United States, helping bolster its commitment to being “water positive” by 2030.
Amazon’s packaging has also become more environmentally friendly, eliminating 95% of plastic pillow packaging in deliveries. Even its delivery vehicles have gone green, with a growing fleet of electric delivery vans.
The company still faces significant hurdles to carbon neutrality. Its data centers still have a massive carbon impact, and its efforts have been accused of greenwashing in the past. However, measures like the Funaki plant show significant promise in Amazon’s commitment to mitigating environmental impact.
Using a former golf course in this development is an inspired choice in X-ELIO’s campaign to bring cleaner energy to communities all over the world. Golf courses are notorious for destroying habitats and biodiversity in local communities, but repurposing the expansive area for clean energy gives a new direction to the cleared land. In other areas, old golf courses have even been rewilded and converted into nature preserves to restore ecological balance.
While the energy of this solar farm won’t directly impact the grid in this part of Japan, X-ELIO’s Community Plan also supports the nearby community with a commitment to social and environmental well-being. For the Funaki project, X-ELIO donated essential disaster relief equipment to local authorities in Ube, giving them a power generator and other materials for emergency shelters.
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