Apple Inc. has bought a hydroelectric project close to the company's data center in Prineville, Ore.
The data center is responsible for powering thousands of computers that contain music, photos and other digital information with a huge amount of electricity, according to The Oregonian. The project is located almost 20 miles northwest of the Prineville center, close to Haystack Reservoir.
Apple says it is looking to use renewable energy to power its data centers, adding that it buys "local renewable wind energy" for its facility in Prineville.
EBD Hydro was the previous owner of the project, and gave Apple ownership of the project last November, Wall St. Cheat Sheet reported.
EBD Hydro obtained $7 million in federal loan guarantees and a $1.5 million federal grant to help finance construction for the project. However, it has not been determined if the facility is operating yet.
Earlier proposals say the project can generate 3 to 5 megawatts, which is enough to power 2,000 to 3,5000 homes. However, large data centers, such as the one in Prineville, can generate over 30 megawatts, and even bigger complexes need a lot more than that amount, The Oregonian reported.
The 45-mile project may also be able to only provide a small amount of the electricity that Apple requires due to plans that are calling for taking the project offline during the winter, when the irrigation canal is closed.
Apple said on its website that in addition to buying the hydroelectric project, it is also "actively working on other renewable energy options," Wall St. Cheat Sheet reported.
One of Apple's potential energy projects could be a solar array similar to the one the company built in Maiden, North Carolina. The company's website says that the data center in Maiden is powered by a 100-acre, 20-megwatt onsite solar array and a second 20-megawatt solar farm close by.
