Greenpeace says that Amazon's 100 percent renewable energy goal is great, but it's undermined by a lack of transparency. Clicking Clean, a 2015 update published Tuesday by Greenpeace, graded 17 major internet-based companies on their progress toward "building a greener online."
Amazon received an F in energy transparency, a C in renewable energy commitment and infrastructure siting, a D in energy efficiency and migration strategy, and a D in renewable energy use & advocacy. Greenpeace calculated Amazon's overall Clean Energy Index at 23 percent, which places it above Ebay's 10 percent but well below Apple, which received top marks in all four categories and an index score of 100 percent.
Microsoft also made it into the report, with a middle-of-the-road C for each category. Greenpeace notes that although the company just purchased wind power for its Chicago operation, continuous rapid expansion delays its carbon neutrality goal. The strategy seems to consist mostly of purchasing carbon offsets, which isn't the same as actively running on renewable energy.
