A renewable way to immunise your your business against loadshedding
With Amazon set to create its own renewable energy in South Africa and FNB urging organisations to invest in renewable energy solutions , this energy alternative is becoming an increasingly attractive investment for any business
The threat of global warming has made sustainable energy a hot topic . Harvested from unlimited resources including sunlight , wind , hydropower and geothermal heat , renewable energy is the key to a more environmentally-friendly electricity supply . These advantages , coupled with the instability of South Africa ’ s coal-powered electricity supply , make it an obvious choice .
For American tech giant Amazon , renewable energy has long been a global focus . Already it is the world ’ s biggest corporate buyer of renewable energy . Considering the fact that data centres use up to an estimated 1 % of the world ’ s electricity , it is easy to see the impetus .
Amazon ’ s first data centre in South Africa , Amazon Web Services , went live in the Cape Town region in April 2020 . As this expands , Amazon is aiming to generate renewable energy from a solar project in the Northern Cape , due to begin construction in 2021 . Amazon has also teamed up with Eskom to transmit the power it creates through the national grid . This is Eskom ’ s first approved renewable energy project , as part of its vital drive to improve power generation in South Africa .
COVID-19 fuels the need for alternative energy
Local companies are also being urged to investigate renewable energy options in the face of ongoing loadshedding . Losing business time through electricity inconsistencies amidst a pandemic that has significantly diminished the bottom line , is something companies can ill afford .
“ Our customers and the economy , particularly the manufacturing sector and
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