Emirates News – Zahra Khalifa
The American company Amazon was forced to stop solar energy systems on the roofs of its facilities in the United States, following repeated outbreaks of “dangerous fires” in its warehouses.
And internal documents showed that by June of last year (2021), all Amazon operations in the United States, which use solar energy, had to be temporarily shut down, according to what CNBC reported. The company is making sure its systems are properly designed, installed and maintained before any of them are “revitalized.” Rooftop solar is part of Amazon’s broad plan to eliminate emissions by 2040. This measure reflects the challenge that Amazon and many other big companies face. In its quest to reduce its environmental footprint and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, through the use of renewable energy sources.
- Serious fires in Amazon facilities
An Amazon employee wrote in an internal report: “The rate of serious accidents is unacceptable, and it is above industry averages,” according to what the Specialized Energy platform monitored. Among these incidents, what happened on April 14, 2020; Dozens of firefighters arrived at an Amazon warehouse in California, following thick plumes of smoke rose from the roof of the warehouse, due to a fire that damaged regarding 220 solar panels and other equipment at the facility. A little more than a year later, regarding 60 firefighters were called to a larger facility. Affiliate of “Amazon” in Maryland; At least 4 other Amazon centers caught fire or experienced electrical explosions due to malfunctions in solar power generation systems, according to internal company documents seen by CNBC.