Amazon is scaling up solar projects

    Amazon announced that it is adding 18 new utility-scale wind and solar projects to its renewable energy Solar Panel Systems For Homes portfolio. The company said the locations will be in the US, Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, with an additional 2 gigawatts of additional energy capacity added.

    New projects announced by the company earlier this year will generate 3.6 GW of renewable energy, so this week's additions bring the total added capacity to 5.6 GW. Amazon said it is now on track to have 100 percent of its operations powered by renewable energy by 2025, rather than 2030 -- its original goal.

    To date, Amazon has announced 274 global renewable energy projects, of which 105 are wind and solar projects and 169 are solar roofs for facilities and stores. The company also said that last year, it committed projects that would generate 4 gigawatts, so this year, its commitments represent a 40 percent increase.

    Commenting on the news, Miranda Ballentine, CEO of the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA) said: "For the second year in a row, Amazon has set a new record as it aims to be powered entirely by renewable energy by 2025, ahead of schedule. Five years. Large-scale clean energy investments like these are good for us all and should be the new normal for industries of all shapes and sizes. They bring high-paying green jobs to local communities and support our communities in achieving America’s power system 90% carbon-free goal.”