Amazon’s commitment to renewable energy has reached new heights as it solidifies its position as the largest corporate purchaser of renewable power globally. In 2024, the company added approximately 100 new projects to its portfolio, which now exceeds 33 gigawatts of generating capacity. According to BloombergNEF, the expansion places Amazon more than 10 gigawatts ahead of its nearest competitor, Apple.
Expanding Renewable Energy Initiatives
Amazon’s renewable energy strategy includes a diverse mix of utility-scale wind and solar farms, as well as on-site solar projects. The company’s total capacity is sufficient to power around 8.3 million homes.
Notable projects include the Great Prairie wind farm in Texas and the Daqing wind farm in China, which alone produces over 300,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean energy annually. These efforts are part of Amazon’s sustainability strategy, which aims to decarbonise grids and improve local environments by investing in areas heavily reliant on fossil fuels.
Kara Hurst, Amazon’s chief sustainability officer, emphasised the importance of location and speed in addressing climate change. “When it comes to addressing climate change, speed and location matter,” she added. Amazon aims to maximise the impact of its renewable energy investments by prioritising projects in regions with high emissions.
Achievements and Future Goals
In its 2023 sustainability report, Amazon announced that it had achieved its goal of matching 100% of its electricity consumption with renewable energy—seven years ahead of schedule. The milestone was made possible through investments in over 600 wind and solar projects worldwide.
Moreover, the company has committed to powering its operations entirely with renewable energy by 2025, having already sourced 90% of its electricity from renewable resources by the end of 2022.
Amazon’s strategy also includes investments in new projects across various countries, including Australia, China, Greece, India, Indonesia, Poland, and South Africa. For instance, the recently launched Wandoan South Project in Queensland is expected to generate enough energy to power more than 60,000 Australian homes each year.
In Greece, Amazon has initiated three wind farms that will collectively provide enough carbon-free energy for approximately 200,000 homes annually.
Addressing Emissions Challenges
Despite these advancements, Amazon acknowledges that it still faces challenges in reducing its overall carbon footprint. The majority of its emissions fall under Scope 3 categories—activities over which the company has less direct control—such as air travel and leased buildings.
According to Amazon’s sustainability report, total emissions peaked in 2021 after a prolonged increase over several years. However, the company has seen a decline in carbon intensity—a key metric that measures greenhouse gas emissions relative to gross sales—indicating progress in decarbonisation efforts.
Amazon continues to invest in renewable projects and optimise their locations for maximum efficiency. Stakeholders will be keenly watching for updates on its progress toward achieving net-zero emissions by 2040 as Amazon prepares to release its 2024 sustainability report later this year.