MacRumors has a post on Greenpeace's position on Apple's Maiden Data Center. Much of what is referenced comes from Data Center Knowledge.
Greenpeace announced yesterday that it has prepared an updated report on Apple's energy usage based on the new information, but as noted by Data Center Knowledge's Rich Miller, the group still seems to be being overly critical in its grading of Apple, even continuing to make up its own estimates of the North Carolina data center's energy usage rather than believing Apple's public statements.
In its initial report in April, Greenpeace estimated Apple’s power use in North Carolina at a whopping 100 megawatts. The group has reduced that slightly to 81 megawatts, dismissing the company’s disclosure that it expects draw about 20 megawatts at full capacity.
You can read the post to get a pro-Apple position vs. Greenpeace.
Another post by GigaOm's Katie Fehrenbacher goes into more detail on the Greenpeace position.
On the face of it, Apple’s steps are huge news in the world of data center operators, which for a long time have not been willing to pay a premium for clean power. Instead, most data center builders seek out locations that have cheap (and often times coal-based) power — like North Carolina, which has a grid that runs largely off of coal and nuclear. North Carolina has been able to attract a cluster of some of the largest data centers in the world whose owners want to buy its cheap and reliable power.
But Greenpeace still says that Apple isn’t being transparent about how it will reach those clean power goals. Greenpeace didn’t raise Apple’s score on “transparency” at all, and it kept its “D” grade in the update to the report. Greenpeace did raise Apple’s score for “infrastructure siting” to a D (from an F), “energy efficiency and green house gas mitigation” to a C (from a D) and “renewable energy investment and advocacy” to a C (from a D). Apple has now basically “passed,” but still trails behind companies like Google and Facebook in the ranking system.
But, then I read the comments on the MacRumors site. I think it is pretty clear these people love their Apple products more than Greenpeace. I don't think Greenpeace has ever attacked a company with a customer loyalty so high to criticize Greenpeace itself. This is going to be interesting to see played out over the years.
Skika4 hours ago at 09:51 amGreenpiss just wants attention and publicity.4 hours ago at 09:53 amGreenpeace won't be happy until people stop using electricity. They are just a bunch of luddites.4 hours ago at 09:54 amGreenpeace has been working hard for years to make themselves irrelevant.4 hours ago at 09:54 amGreenpeace again proves that it is completely worthless. Nothing but attention whores.4 hours ago at 10:07 amI'd love to see a green report done on Greenpeace. I'm willing to bet they are hypocrites.4 hours ago at 09:55 amGreenpiss just wants attention and publicity.
I agree. I used to like greenpeace but they've become nothing but publicity hounds while disregarding the truth.4 hours ago at 10:05 amGreenpeace, masters of PR, have learned what so many other media whores have learned: Criticize Apple and you will get headlines.3 hours ago at 10:16 amGreenpeace will be pleased to learn that my V-16 Maybach runs on liquified poor people.
