How Amazon is Europe's Largest Corporate Renewables Buyer
Being a technology and e-commerce leader does not mean that sustainability has to fall by the wayside — and no company displays that better than Amazon.
Amazon has solidified its position as Europe's top corporate purchaser of renewable energy, showing off its significant commitment to sustainability and clean energy adoption across the continent.
The company has invested in more than 230 solar and wind projects throughout Europe, marking a substantial contribution to the region's renewable energy capacity
As well as being the Europe's largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy, Amazon also holds this title on a global scale — and has done so for the last five years.
How has Amazon become Europe's largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy?
In 2024 alone, Amazon added 46 new European renewable energy projects to its portfolio.
These investments include:
- 26 standalone renewable projects
- 20 on-site projects
“Increasing the amount of renewable energy on Europe’s electricity grids is the fastest and cheapest way to help Europe’s economy decarbonise at scale and fight against climate change,” says Lindsay McQuade, Director of Energy for EMEA at Amazon.
“As Europe’s top corporate investor in renewable energy, we will continue to work with governments, industry and communities to unlock more of Europe’s renewable energy potential.”
Amazon's total European renewable energy portfolio now boasts an estimated capacity of 9GW — generating enough energy to power around 6.7 million European homes each year.
- 15 new utility-scale solar and wind farms and two onsite solar installations in Spain
- 12 in Italy, made up of four utility scale solar projects and eight onsite solar installations
- Three new utility-scale solar farms in Greece
- Two utility scale solar farms in Finland
- One utility scale wind farm in Ireland
- One utility scale wind farm in Portugal
- Six onsite solar installations in the UK
- Two onsite solar installations in Germany
- One onsite solar installation in France
- One onsite solar installation in Czechia
A diverse range of renewables
The diversity of Amazon's renewable energy investments shows not only how seriously the company takes its commitment to renewables, but how it plays to the strengths of each geography it is present in.
The projects include more than 100 utility-scale solar, wind and offshore wind farms across the region, as well as more than 100 on-site solar arrays on Amazon's operational buildings.
This varied approach ensures a comprehensive and adaptable renewable energy strategy that can be tailored to the specific needs and resources of different European locations.
By approaching renewables in this way, Amazon is not only supporting its broader sustainability goals, but ensuring its renewable portfolio meets the needs of its diverse businesses.
For example, Amazon now matches 100% of its electricity consumption with renewable energy — seven years ahead of its 2030 target.
Amazon's renewable energy initiatives also support The Climate Pledge, the company's commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across its operations by 2040.
A pledge co-founded by Amazon, this encourages other businesses to accelerate their efforts to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement 10 years early.
Power on a global scale
Amazon's leadership in renewable energy purchasing is not limited to Europe.
Globally, Amazon has supported more than 600 wind and solar projects to date, including investments in countries with high fossil fuel penetration such as Australia, China and India.
“Amazon isn’t just the top corporate purchaser of solar and wind, we’re also prioritising projects in the locations where they can have the biggest impact on curbing emissions and improving the local environment,” Amazon’s CSO Kara Hurst says.
“When it comes to addressing climate change, speed and location matter.
“From collaborating on new energy policies, to accelerating renewables in underserved regions, Amazon is working to help decarbonise grids around the world as quickly as possible.”
Supporting local communities
When Amazon achieved its significant milestone of matching 100% of the electricity consumed in its operations with renewable energy in 2023 — seven years ahead of its original target — this feat did not just benefit Amazon and its operations.
By investing in renewable infrastructure to meet this goal, Amazon has now invested in renewable energy projects globally with a capacity equivalent to powering 24.6 million European homes.
These investments serve a dual purpose — they not only offset the electricity used by Amazon’s operations but also introduce new sources of carbon-free energy to local communities where Amazon's customers, vendors and employees live.
The renewable energy projects supported by Amazon have far-reaching benefits beyond environmental impact.
They contribute to job creation, provide support for local businesses and provide a boost to the local economy.
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