Is that massive Apple solar play that made news on Tuesday burnishing the tech titan’s green cred? It might be, but environmentalists aren’t thrilled about the whole thing.
Not that they’ve got anything against Apple – or solar power, they say.
Kim Delfino is California director of the group Defenders of Wildlife, an organization that has backed California’s aggressive policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But in an interview, Delfino said the 2,900-acre, 280-megawatt California Flats project that First Solar is pursuing in Monterey County – and which Apple is helping make happen with an $848 million, 130-megawatt, 25-year power purchase agreement – raises serious concerns.
“We’re urging developers to do projects on degraded and disturbed land,” Delfino said, “and unfortunately, this project is on beautiful, open, largely intact land.”
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