The Cloud
AWS is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud offering, with millions of global users depending on it every day. To build a sustainable business for our customers and for the world we all share, we’re designing data centers that provide the efficient, resilient service our customers expect while minimizing our environmental footprint—and theirs.
![AWS Data Center Aerial](https://cdn-sustainability.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/3acf728/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4338x2962+617+0/resize/350x239!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Famazon-k1-prod-sustainability.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc5%2F88%2F25fa588a494c9d4c84039dee567d%2Faerial-1-pdx2-bcb-0221f-1.jpg)
![AWS Data Center Aerial](https://cdn-sustainability.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/bc7098b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5272x1932+0+629/resize/603x221!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Famazon-k1-prod-sustainability.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc5%2F88%2F25fa588a494c9d4c84039dee567d%2Faerial-1-pdx2-bcb-0221f-1.jpg)
![AWS Data Center Aerial](https://cdn-sustainability.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/26b52c7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5272x1531+0+830/resize/1240x360!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Famazon-k1-prod-sustainability.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc5%2F88%2F25fa588a494c9d4c84039dee567d%2Faerial-1-pdx2-bcb-0221f-1.jpg)
Our sustainability work includes enhancing energy efficiency, transitioning to renewable energy, reducing embodied carbon, using water responsibly, driving a circular economy, and enabling sustainability for customers.
We focus on efficiency across all aspects of our infrastructure, from the design of our data centers and hardware, to modeling the performance of our operations for continuous enhanced efficiency. By continuously improving our efficiency, we can reduce the amount of energy needed to operate our data centers.
![aws-virginia-hero-1.jpg](https://cdn-sustainability.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/4e7c6fb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x750+0+188/resize/600x225!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F12%2F24%2Fc0f4127a4831a2497c507bc2aa7c%2Faws-virginia-hero-1.jpg)
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![industrial water cooling pipes in shades of blue and red.](https://cdn-sustainability.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/070c8dd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6720x2520+0+265/resize/600x225!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Famazon-k1-prod-sustainability.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5d%2Faa%2Fd2b32be649a1bc74abd563c29b3f%2Fwater-pipes-heating.jpeg)
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In 2019, we set an ambitious goal to match 100% of the electricity we consume with renewable energy by 2030. This goal includes all data centers, logistics facilities, physical stores, and corporate offices, as well as on-site charging points and our financially integrated subsidiaries. We are proud to have achieved this goal in 2023, seven years early, with 100% of the electricity consumed by Amazon matched with renewable energy sources, up from 90% in 2022.
Explore our global projects using the map below.
We contract for renewable power from utility-scale projects that add renewable energy to the grid. In some markets, we support the development of a carbon-free grid through the purchase of environmental attributes, such as Renewable Energy Certificates and Guarantees of Origin, in line with our Renewable Energy Methodology.
For select regions where renewable energy could not be procured or matched locally, AWS procures renewable energy attributes in other locations. In 2023, the electricity consumed in the following 22 AWS Regions was matched by 100% renewable energy procured in market:
- U.S. East (Northern Virginia)
- GovCloud (U.S. East)
- U.S. East (Ohio)
- U.S. West (Oregon)
- GovCloud (U.S. West)
- U.S. West (Northern California)
- Canada (Central)
- Canada (West)
- Europe (Ireland)
- Europe (Frankfurt)
- Europe (London)
- Europe (Milan)
- Europe (Paris)
- Europe (Stockholm)
- Europe (Spain)
- Europe (Zurich)
- Asia-Pacific (Mumbai)
- Asia-Pacific (Hyderabad)
- Asia-Pacific (Osaka)
- Asia-Pacific (Tokyo)
- China (Beijing)
- China (Ningxia)
We’re focused on reducing the indirect emissions associated with building AWS data centers and the manufacturing of our hardware.
AWS is reducing emissions related to server use and networking equipment by increasing server lifespan.
This includes refining software to run more efficiently, which lowers stress on hardware and extends the amount of time it can be used. In February 2024, AWS announced that the average expected life of its servers had improved from five to six years. To support these efforts, AWS has a robust maintenance and repair program in place that is designed to increase component reuse and further reduce carbon emissions and waste across its supply chain.
To help prevent our equipment from ending up in landfills and avoid associated emissions, we are investing in responsible end of life management systems. We use reverse logistics hubs to evaluate and reuse electronic equipment in our global data center fleet. These hubs help us consolidate, assess, and recirculate functional equipment back into our inventory. When we no longer have use for equipment, we remove all customer data and sell the equipment on the secondary market for reuse or work with a network of experienced vendors to recycle parts.
Our customer carbon footprint tool uses simple visualizations to show customers their historical carbon emissions, estimate emissions avoided by using AWS instead of an on-premises data center, and review forecasted emissions based on their current use.