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Apple to build a 20-megawatt solar farm for its Reno, Nevada data center

Apple's Reno, Nevada data center might be a lot greener in the next few years -- according to GigaOm, the company plans to build a 137 acre solar farm right next to it. The Nevada complex will reportedly generate between 18 and 20 megawatts of power similar to Apple's two arrays in North Carolina, but GigaOm says it will use a different kind of technology. Instead of a standard farm of solar panels, it will include mirrors that concentrate the sun's rays on each one up to seven times, increasing the amount of energy produced. In a statement sent to the publication, Cupertino revealed that the facility will not only provide electricity for the data center, but also supply energy to the local grid. Solar company SunPower will work on the array's engineering and construction, but until it's operational (which could be a while), Apple will depend on geothermal energy generated by local plants.

[Image credit: Apple]