Amazon has made installing solar panels on rooftops a key part of its ESG strategy, but a series of events last year show how challenging greening up major facilities can be.
Between April 2020 and June 2021, solar panels on Amazon fulfillment center roofs caught fire or experienced electrical explosions at least six times. As a result, the company took all U.S. solar rooftops offline last year while it investigated the mishaps.
According to a CNBC report, Amazon hired a consultant to audit its rooftop solar systems in the U.S., Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. The study discovered several problems at various sites including mismatched module-to-module connectors, improper installation of connectors, poor wire management, and evidence of water intrusion in the inverters, CNBC reported.
Each fire reportedly cost the company an average of $2.7 million, which included third-party audits of rooftop solar systems, checks on how much electricity they were generating, and repairs for broken or faulty parts.
Despite the setbacks, Amazon remains committed to solar power and continues to monitor the situation, making repairs where needed. As of this April, Amazon had onsite solar at 176 facilities. Its solar program began in 2017.
Related Stories
| Feb 19, 2014
Obama Administration moves to boost fuel efficiency standards on heavy-duty vehicles
The Obama Administration wants to boost fuel efficiency of medium- and heavy-duty trucks for models made in 2019 and later.
| Feb 19, 2014
Slight rebound for Architecture Billings Index
After consecutive months of contracting demand for design services, AIA's Architecture Billings Index inched up nearly two points to 50.4 in January, indicating favorable business conditions.
| Feb 19, 2014
Harvard's 'termite robots' can build any thing, any way [video]
The robots build by observing thier environment and then obeying a set of traffic rules programmed by researchers.
| Feb 18, 2014
Illinois leads Top 10 states for LEED in annual USGBC ranking
The U.S. Green Building Council has released its ranking of the Top 10 States for LEED, the world’s most widely used and recognized green building rating system.
| Feb 18, 2014
Study: 90% of healthcare providers say Affordable Care Act is 'step forward,' but major revisions needed
Providers are excited about opportunities to address long-term health issues in the U.S., but worries about the transition persist, according to a new study by Mortenson Construction.
| Feb 17, 2014
Developer plans to 'crowdfund' extended stay hotel in Manhattan
Want to own a piece of Manhattan hotel real estate? Developer Rodrigo Nino is inviting individual investors to put up $100,000 each for his latest project, 17 John.
| Feb 14, 2014
ASHRAE, Green Grid team up on energy-efficiency guide for data centers
Vendor-neutral publication examines aspects of the popular power usage effectiveness (PUE) metric.
| Feb 14, 2014
Scrap tires used to boost masonry blocks at Missouri University of S&T
Research could lead to blocks that use waste material and have seismic and insulating benefits.
| Feb 14, 2014
Giant interactive pinwheel adds fun to museum exterior
The proposed design for the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History features a 10-foot pinwheel that can be activated by passersby.
| Feb 14, 2014
First look: Kentucky's Rupp Arena to get re-clad as part of $310M makeover
Rupp Arena will get a 40-foot high glass façade and a new concourse, but will retain many of its iconic design elements.