Science & Technology

Apple To Build Large Fuel Cell To Power N.C. Data Center

WUNC | By Gurnal Scott

Published May 25, 2012 at 6:00 AM EDT

Apple Incorporated has the go-ahead to provide power for its new data center in western North Carolina.

Gurnal Scott: The North Carolina Utilities Commission gave Apple the green light to build a 4.8 megawatt fuel cell for the facility. It would be the country's largest privately-owned power generator. It will help provide 60 percent of the power Apple needs to run the data center. They'll work with green energy companies in the region to provide the rest. Approval by the North Carolina Utilities Commission came relatively quickly because Apple is spending its own money on the project. The facility will house Apple's iCloud data storage and software for its SIRI voice-recognition system. The new fuel cell, and other surrounding power sources is expected to provide 124 million watts of power, enough to power nearly 11,000 homes.

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Gurnal Scott

Gurnal Scott joined North Carolina Public Radio in March 2012 after several stops in radio and television. After graduating from the College of Charleston in his South Carolina hometown, he began his career in radio there. He started as a sports reporter at News/Talk Radio WTMA and won five Sportscaster of the Year awards. In 1997, Gurnal moved on to television as general assignment reporter and weekend anchor for WCSC-TV in Charleston. He anchored the market's top-rated weekend newscasts until leaving Charleston for Memphis, TN in 2002. Gurnal worked at WPTY-TV for two years before returning to his roots in radio. He joined the staff of Memphis' NewsRadio 600 WREC in 2004 eventually rising to News Director. In 2006, Raleigh news radio station WPTF came calling and he became the station's chief correspondent. Gurnal’s reporting has been honored by the South Carolina Broadcasters Association, the North Carolina Associated Press, and the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas.

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