If you’ve ever watched a presentation by Apple, you’ll notice that the company loves talking about its sustainability efforts. This includes how it powers its data centers, the recycled materials it uses in its products, packaging, and so on. So, it’s actually a bit of a surprise to learn that Apple, along with a bunch of other companies, are opposing the changes to how companies account for clean energy use.
Companies are opposing changes in how clean energy use is accounted for
In a public statement, companies including Apple, Amazon, BYD, eBay, Luxshare, and Salesforce are opposing proposed changes that change how companies account for clean energy use.
These changes are part of a revision of a process led by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP). Prior to these proposed changes, companies could match how much electricity they use against clean energy on an annual basis. This means that as long electricity usage matches clean energy production, companies can say their operations are sustainable.
However, as part of the proposal, this changes from annual to hourly. It must also match sources located within the same grid or region that can deliver that power. The GHGP claims that this change helps improve the accuracy of emissions reporting. It also helps ensure companies claim clean energy that actually powers their operations.
Basically, companies can no longer do creative “accounting” for their emissions report. Right now, if a company produces clean energy on the grid, but it doesn’t actually get delivered to their operations, it counts. But with these changes, it no longer will.
Why are these companies opposed?
So, why are companies like Apple and Amazon opposed to these changes? With all the claims of sustainable operations, it shouldn’t matter, right? However, the argument is that these stricter requirements, which are being made mandatory instead of optional, could undermine the voluntary participation in clean energy programs. It would also slow investments in new projects.
The companies are saying, “We strongly urge the GHGP to improve upon the existing guidance but not stymie critical electricity decarbonization investments by mandating a change that fundamentally threatens participation in this voluntary market, which acts as the linchpin in decarbonization across nearly all sectors of the economy. The revised guidance must encourage more clean energy procurement and enable more impactful corporate action, not unintentionally discourage it.”
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