Dell Computer announced this week that it reached its goal of becoming “carbon neutral” five months ahead of schedule. The company also reported that its making additional investments in wind power in the U.S., China, and India; and is partnering up with Conservation International on a habitat and Forrest preservation initiative in the Republic of Madagascar.
While activists investors like Ceres coalition applauded the move, Keith Johnson of Wall Street Journal writes that it’s unclear if consumers “gives a whit what Dell does.”
Johnson points out that tackling rising energy costs and doing good by the environment are not mutually exclusive. Dell’s move will save the company money because long-term clean energy agreements can help negate the volatility of electricity prices. The company is powering 100 percent of its 2.1 million square-foot global headquarters campus with 100 percent green power.
Dell’s reliance on greater energy efficiency and renewable energy now saves the company $3 million a year and avoides nearly 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide.
What’s more, Dell executives say internal returns on the efficiency drive are outstanding with most of the new projects paying for themselves in less than two years, and almost all the projects paying back in less than three.
Next up for Dell? The company wants its laptops and desktops to consume up to 25 percent less energy by 2010.
Earlier this year, the company announced it’s the first server provider to achieve 80 Plus Gold-certification for a server power supply and also released its CSR report.
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