Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon are in competition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Apple recently announced that it has made significant progress toward this goal, having reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 60% since 2015. This reduction encompasses various aspects of the company’s operations, including manufacturing, marketing, corporate functions, and customer usage.
Several companies have managed to neutralize the carbon footprint associated with their core operations, thanks in large part to the availability of cost-effective solar and wind energy, as well as affordable grid-scale batteries. This transition has proven both straightforward and economically beneficial.
However, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft are striving not only to address their direct emissions but also those generated by their suppliers and the energy consumption of their customers. These indirect emissions, known as Scope 3 emissions, are particularly challenging to mitigate because they lie outside the direct control of the companies.
Apple has embarked on innovative initiatives in this area. Upon announcing the Apple Watch Series 9, the company revealed plans to procure renewable energy on behalf of its customers, an effort it later extended to purchasers of the new M4 Mac Mini.
The announcement relating to the Mac Mini underscored the significant impact of semiconductors on the carbon footprint of electronic devices. For example, a base model Mac Mini with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage results in 32 kg of carbon emissions over its lifespan, whereas the higher-end model with 64GB of RAM and 8TB of storage has a carbon footprint of 121 kg. The increased number of chips largely accounts for this disparity.
Apple has collaborated with semiconductor suppliers to tackle this issue, with 26 suppliers committing to reduce at least 90% of fluorinated greenhouse gases in their operations. These gases are commonly used in semiconductor manufacturing for chip etching and equipment cleaning, but are potent greenhouse gases, with hexafluoroethane, for example, being 9,200 times more warming than carbon dioxide.
Apple aims to eliminate at least 75% of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, achieving significant progress towards this target with five years remaining. For the remaining 25%, Apple plans to implement carbon removal strategies.
This approach resembles that of other companies addressing hard-to-abate emissions, though the specific strategies differ. For instance, Microsoft is investing in both technological solutions like direct air capture and nature-based initiatives such as reforestation. Apple has concluded that nature-based solutions are the most promising for immediate emission reductions.
