UPDATE 24 March 2022
The company plans to use the world’s first commercial-purity low-carbon aluminium from ELYSIS in the iPhoneSE
Apple’s Green Bonds have helped spur a breakthrough in the production of aluminium, creating oxygen instead of greenhouse gases in the smelting process.
Investments fromApple’s US$4.7 billion in Green Bonds have helped jump-start the development of new low-carbon manufacturing and recycling technologies, the companyannounced today. Applehas issued three Green Bonds since 2016, with projects showcasing how the investments can reduce global emissions and bring clean power to communities around the world.
As part of this work, Apple is purchasing direct carbon-free aluminium following a major advancement in smelting technology to reduce emissions. The aluminium is the first to be manufactured at industrial scale outside of a laboratory without creating any direct carbon emissions during the smelting process. The company intends for the material to be introduced in the iPhoneSE.
“Apple is committed to leaving the planet better than we found it, and our Green Bonds are a key tool to drive our environmental efforts forward,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “Our investments are advancing the breakthrough technologies needed to reduce the carbon footprint of the materials we use, even as we move to using only recyclable and renewable materials across our products to conserve the earth’s finite resources.”
In total, Apple has issued US$4.7 billion to accelerate progress towards the company’s goal to become carbon-neutral across its supply chain by 2030. Its first two bonds in 2016 and 2017 are now fully allocated. The 2019 Green Bond is supporting 50 projects, including the low-carbon aluminium breakthrough. These 50 projects will mitigate or offset 2,883,000 tonnes of CO2e, install nearly 700 megawatts of renewable energy capacity around the world, and promote new recycling research and development.
Aluminium is one of the world’s most widely used metals, and ELYSIS’s innovative direct carbon-free smelting process has the potential to reduce the climate impact of the production process.
Innovation in Green Aluminium Smelting
ELYSIS, the company behind the world’s first direct carbon-free aluminium smelting process, announced that it has produced the first commercial-purity primary aluminium at industrial scale for use in Apple products. The breakthrough technology produces oxygen instead of greenhouse gases, and the achievement marks a major milestone in the production of aluminium, one of the world’s most widely used metals. Apple will purchase this first batch of commercial-purity, low-carbon aluminium from ELYSIS for intended use in the iPhoneSE. This aluminium was produced by ELYSIS at its Industrial Research and Development Centre in Quebec using hydropower.
Apple is purchasing low-carbon aluminium from ELYSIS with the intent of using it in the production of the iPhoneSE.
Apple helped spur this revolutionary advancement in aluminium production through an investment partnership with Alcoa, Rio Tinto and the governments of Canada and Quebec that began in 2018. The following year, Apple purchased the first-ever commercial batch of aluminium resulting from the joint venture, using it in the production of the 16-inch MacBookPro.
“This is the first time aluminium has been produced at this commercial purity, without any greenhouse gas emission and at industrial scale. The sale to Apple confirms the market’s interest in aluminium produced using our breakthrough ELYSIS carbon-free smelting technology. Today’s announcement proves that ELYSIS, a joint venture between Alcoa and Rio Tinto, was able to turn an idea into reality,” said Vincent Christ, ELYSIS’s CEO. “We are excited to be working alongside Apple on this advancement, which has the potential to make lasting changes in how aluminium is produced.”
From left to right: (1) ELYSIS produced the first batch of commercial-purity, low-carbon aluminium at its Industrial Research and Development Centre in Quebec. (2)The low-carbon aluminium breakthrough builds on the significant progress Apple has made in reducing the carbon impact of aluminium and other metals found in its products.
From top to bottom: (1) ELYSIS produced the first batch of commercial-purity, low-carbon aluminium at its Industrial Research and Development Centre in Quebec. (2)The low-carbon aluminium breakthrough builds on the significant progress Apple has made in reducing the carbon impact of aluminium and other metals found in its products.
Today’s milestone builds on the significant progress Apple has made in reducing the carbon impact of aluminium and other metals found in its products. By switching to recycled aluminium and aluminium smelted using hydroelectricity instead of fossil fuels, the company’s carbon emissions associated with aluminium have decreased by nearly 70per cent since 2015. Every model in the iPad line-up, including the new iPadAir, along with the latest MacBookPro, MacBookAir, Macmini and AppleWatch, is made with a 100per cent recycled aluminium enclosure.
Commitment to Clean Energy
Apple continues to use its Green Bonds — which are among the largest in the private sector — to develop new sources of renewable energy. More than US$500 million of the company’s 2019 Green Bond proceeds has been allocated to clean energy projects. This includes the world’s largest onshore wind turbines, which power the company’s data centre in Viborg, Denmark, with all surplus energy going back into the Danish grid.
Over the next year, Apple will expand the Viborg data centre’s operations and build new infrastructure to capture excess heat energy for the city’s long-term benefit. As with its data centres, all Apple offices and retail stores across 44 countries have sourced 100per cent clean energy since 2018, including through Green Bond proceeds.
Apple will expand its data centre in Viborg, Denmark, and build infrastructure needed to capture excess heat for the city’s long-term benefit. All Apple data centres are powered by 100per cent clean energy.
In 2021, Apple’s 2019 Green Bond helped support its Supplier Clean Energy Program, including allocations to training and resources to help guide suppliers in their transition to clean power, and policy advocacy efforts in Japan, Vietnam and South Korea to help build cost-effective renewable energy markets. More than 175 manufacturing partners across 24 countries have now committed to using 100per cent renewable energy for Apple production, a critical milestone towards ensuring every Apple product has a net-zero climate impact.
For more information on Apple’s Green Bond efforts, visit investor.apple.com/Apple_GreenBond_Report.pdf. This year’s annual impact report covers the cumulative allocation of Apple’s 2019 Green Bond proceeds to environmental projects that incurred spend between 29 September 2019 and 25 September 2021 — Apple’s 2020 and 2021 fiscal years. Sustainalytics provided a second-party opinion on the selected projects, and Ernst & Young LLP provided an attestation report on the spend.
Text of this article
24 March 2022
UPDATE
Apple’s US$4.7B in Green Bonds supports innovative green technology
The company plans to use the world’s first commercial-purity low-carbon aluminium from ELYSIS in the iPhoneSE
Investments fromApple’s US$4.7 billion in Green Bonds have helped jump-start the development of new low-carbon manufacturing and recycling technologies, the companyannounced today. Applehas issued three Green Bonds since 2016, with projects showcasing how the investments can reduce global emissions and bring clean power to communities around the world.
As part of this work, Apple is purchasing direct carbon-free aluminium following a major advancement in smelting technology to reduce emissions. The aluminium is the first to be manufactured at industrial scale outside of a laboratory without creating any direct carbon emissions during the smelting process. The company intends for the material to be introduced in the iPhoneSE.
“Apple is committed to leaving the planet better than we found it, and our Green Bonds are a key tool to drive our environmental efforts forward,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “Our investments are advancing the breakthrough technologies needed to reduce the carbon footprint of the materials we use, even as we move to using only recyclable and renewable materials across our products to conserve the earth’s finite resources.”
In total, Apple has issued US$4.7 billion to accelerate progress towards the company’s goal to become carbon-neutral across its supply chain by 2030. Its first two bonds in 2016 and 2017 are now fully allocated. The 2019 Green Bond is supporting 50 projects, including the low-carbon aluminium breakthrough. These 50 projects will mitigate or offset 2,883,000 tonnes of CO2e, install nearly 700 megawatts of renewable energy capacity around the world, and promote new recycling research and development.
Innovation in Green Aluminium Smelting
ELYSIS, the company behind the world’s first direct carbon-free aluminium smelting process, announced that it has produced the first commercial-purity primary aluminium at industrial scale for use in Apple products. The breakthrough technology produces oxygen instead of greenhouse gases, and the achievement marks a major milestone in the production of aluminium, one of the world’s most widely used metals. Apple will purchase this first batch of commercial-purity, low-carbon aluminium from ELYSIS for intended use in the iPhoneSE. This aluminium was produced by ELYSIS at its Industrial Research and Development Centre in Quebec using hydropower.
Apple helped spur this revolutionary advancement in aluminium production through an investment partnership with Alcoa, Rio Tinto and the governments of Canada and Quebec that began in 2018. The following year, Apple purchased the first-ever commercial batch of aluminium resulting from the joint venture, using it in the production of the 16-inch MacBookPro.
“This is the first time aluminium has been produced at this commercial purity, without any greenhouse gas emission and at industrial scale. The sale to Apple confirms the market’s interest in aluminium produced using our breakthrough ELYSIS carbon-free smelting technology. Today’s announcement proves that ELYSIS, a joint venture between Alcoa and Rio Tinto, was able to turn an idea into reality,” said Vincent Christ, ELYSIS’s CEO. “We are excited to be working alongside Apple on this advancement, which has the potential to make lasting changes in how aluminium is produced.”
Today’s milestone builds on the significant progress Apple has made in reducing the carbon impact of aluminium and other metals found in its products. By switching to recycled aluminium and aluminium smelted using hydroelectricity instead of fossil fuels, the company’s carbon emissions associated with aluminium have decreased by nearly 70per cent since 2015. Every model in the iPad line-up, including the new iPadAir, along with the latest MacBookPro, MacBookAir, Macmini and AppleWatch, is made with a 100per cent recycled aluminium enclosure.
Commitment to Clean Energy
Apple continues to use its Green Bonds — which are among the largest in the private sector — to develop new sources of renewable energy. More than US$500 million of the company’s 2019 Green Bond proceeds has been allocated to clean energy projects. This includes the world’s largest onshore wind turbines, which power the company’s data centre in Viborg, Denmark, with all surplus energy going back into the Danish grid.
Over the next year, Apple will expand the Viborg data centre’s operations and build new infrastructure to capture excess heat energy for the city’s long-term benefit. As with its data centres, all Apple offices and retail stores across 44 countries have sourced 100per cent clean energy since 2018, including through Green Bond proceeds.
In 2021, Apple’s 2019 Green Bond helped support its Supplier Clean Energy Program, including allocations to training and resources to help guide suppliers in their transition to clean power, and policy advocacy efforts in Japan, Vietnam and South Korea to help build cost-effective renewable energy markets. More than 175 manufacturing partners across 24 countries have now committed to using 100per cent renewable energy for Apple production, a critical milestone towards ensuring every Apple product has a net-zero climate impact.
For more information on Apple’s Green Bond efforts, visit investor.apple.com/Apple_GreenBond_Report.pdf. This year’s annual impact report covers the cumulative allocation of Apple’s 2019 Green Bond proceeds to environmental projects that incurred spend between 29 September 2019 and 25 September 2021 — Apple’s 2020 and 2021 fiscal years. Sustainalytics provided a second-party opinion on the selected projects, and Ernst & Young LLP provided an attestation report on the spend.
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media.australia@apple.com
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