Signs emerge Apple to begin selling solar electricity

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Consumers in the U.S. may be able to source their smartphone, computers, smartwatch and soon their electricity from Apple in the future. The Verge reported yesterday that Apple Energy has filed a request from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to sell electricity to U.S. wholesale markets.

The Verge notes that it is unlikely that Apple will seek to pivot into electricity production and sales in a big way, but that it may as well sell any excess generation its fleet of solar power plants generate that are surplus to its data center, production and retail outlet requirements.

Apple has signed deals with a number of U.S. solar companies to develop solar parks in the U.S. and China, primarily First Solar and SunPower. In its 2016 Environmental Responsibility Report, Apple states that it has made initiated 521 MW of solar power projects, with 162 MW of that contracted under long term PPAs.

In Singapore, Apple has partnered with Sunseap Group to source solar power from a 1.1 MWp rooftop array and an additional 40 GWh from distributed solar arrays across 800 rooftops.

In the U.S., Apple has been responsible for developing a host of on and offsite solar arrays. It will presumably sell excess electricity from these sites via its Apple Energy subsidiary.

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