Important Takeaways
- Amazon has announced a 198 MW wind farm in Osmanabad, Maharashtra, India, to its renewable energy project portfolio.
- This brings Amazon's total renewable energy capacity in India to 1.1 GW across 50 wind and solar projects.
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Amazon has made significant progress in renewable energy projects in India. The e-commerce giant recently announced a new 198 MW wind farm in Osmanabad, Maharashtra, India. This latest addition brings Amazon India’s total number of wind and solar projects to 50, with a combined capacity of over 1.1 GW of renewable energy across the country.
Amazon, as the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in India, has undertaken wind and solar initiatives that have had significant positive impacts on the local communities. These initiatives have contributed an estimated ₹2,885 crore ($349 million) to India's economy between 2014 and 2022. Moreover, these projects have boosted the country's GDP by approximately ₹719 crore ($87 million) and created over 20,600 local full-time equivalent jobs in 2022 alone.
Abhinav Singh, Vice President of Operations at Amazon India, highlighted the impact of these efforts: "Rapidly scaling renewable energy is one of the most effective strategies to address climate change, and these efforts can be especially impactful in India, where the country's leaders are focused on transitioning away from fossil fuels. We're eager to continue contributing to India's economic and environmental goals as part of Amazon's commitment to become a more sustainable business."
India has been proactive in achieving its renewable energy goals. It has already surpassed its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) target of 40% capacity from renewable sources ahead of schedule. The country is on track to meet its NDC goal of 50% capacity from renewable energy sources. Amazon's investments align with India's green energy aspirations.
Amazon has pledged to invest $26 billion (₹2,14,942 crore) in India by 2030. Out of this, $12.7 billion (₹1,05,600 crore) will be invested by Amazon Web Services (AWS) to boost the cloud infrastructure. This investment will help AWS to reduce its carbon footprint by up to 96% by 2025 by transitioning to 100% renewable energy sources. AWS also offers real-time monitoring and analysis capabilities that support renewable energy projects in India.
To combat climate change, Amazon aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 through The Climate Pledge, which now has over 400 signatories, including nine Indian companies:
- BluPine Energy,
- CSM Technologies India,
- Godi,
- Greenko,
- HCL,
- Infosys,
- Mahindra Logistics,
- Tech Mahindra, and
- UPL
Amazon is taking several measures to promote sustainability in India. Apart from green energy initiatives, the company has electrified its delivery fleet in over 400 cities in India with more than 6,000 electric vehicles. Additionally, Amazon is investing $15 million in nature-based projects in the Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on India. This investment will support projects such as planting trees in the Western Ghats, which will help in wildlife conservation, livelihood enhancement, and carbon sequestration.
These investments showcase Amazon's commitment to creating a more sustainable business model while supporting India's renewable energy targets and environmental welfare.
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Date & time of posting: 1 November 2023, 03:57 PM IST
Posted by: Matter5 News Team
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