Cloud Computing: Amazon’s first wind farm will help power its AWS datacenters from January 2016
January 20, 2015
Grazed from VentureBeat. Author: Editorial Staff.
Amazon joined existing big-name tech companies last year when it committed to running its cloud-based “Amazon Web Services (AWS)” technology entirely on renewable energy. Though it remains a longer-term commitment, Amazon has today revealed a 13-year partnership with Pattern Energy Group to “support the construction and operation of a 150 megawatt (MW) wind farm,” Amazon says in a press release.
The new wind farm will be built in Benton County, Indiana, and will be called — drum roll — the “Amazon Web Services Wind Farm (Fowler Ridge).” Plans are afoot to start generating around 500,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of power from as early as January 2016. For context, the average residential electricity consumer in the U.S. used around 10,837 kWh in 2012, or 903 kilowatthours (kWh) per month. So Amazon estimates that it’s new farm will help power the equivalent of around 46,000 homes each year…
Amazon Web Services doesn’t power homes though – it provides businesses with access to cloud computing technology. AWS was originally built for Amazon’s own increasing cloud-based server needs, however it subsequently realized the datacenters could also serve other companies. AWS has been used by many brands you no doubt know and love — including Spotify and Netflix…
Read more from the source @ http://venturebeat.com/2015/01/20/amazons-first-wind-farm-will-power-its-aws-datacenters-from-january-2016/