Greenpeace has finally secured an agreement from Facebook for the social network giant to source more clean energy to power its giant data-centres, following a long-running campaign backed by 700,000 online activists.
The company has said that it will work closely with Greenpeace to enhance the energy efficiency of its IT infrastructure, switch from coal to renewable energy where possible, and promote clean energy to its millions of users.
The agreement represents a major victory for the two-year Greenpeace campaign, dubbed Unfriend Coal, designed to encourage Facebook to reduce its reliance on the coal-fired power stations it often uses to run its giant server farms.
“Greenpeace and Facebook will now work together to encourage major energy producers to move away from coal and instead invest in renewable energy,” said Tzeporah Berman, co-director of Greenpeace’s International Climate and Energy Program.
“This shift to clean, safe energy choices will help fight global warming and ensure a stronger economy and healthier communities.”
Under the new partnership Facebook has committed to adopt a siting policy for new data-centres that gives preference to locations that can provide low carbon energy. It will also “engage in a dialogue” with energy suppliers to encourage them to increase the level of clean energy they provide to the company’s data-centres.
The data industry has been facing a major backlash from environmental groups after it was revealed that data-centres far outstrip the airline industry in their use of unrenewable energy.
