How can carbon emissions be zero? Are these calculations accurate?

As of July 2024, Amazon announced that it now powers its operations with 100% renewable energy. In 2020, Amazon became the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the world, with 401 global renewable energy projects, achieving 85% renewable energy usage across corporate offices, fulfillment centers, and AWS data centers, supporting millions of customers worldwide. This includes 164 utility-scale wind and solar projects contributing to the energy grids where Amazon operates. When carbon emissions are reported as "zero," it doesn’t necessarily mean no energy is being used. Instead, it means that all the energy consumed by Amazon during a specific time period is matched by the renewable energy they’ve purchased or produced.

For example, Amazon might use electricity from the grid, which could include both renewable and non-renewable sources (like coal or natural gas). However, they buy enough renewable energy—such as wind or solar power—from other sources to counterbalance or "offset" the emissions produced by their total energy use.

In essence:

• Energy consumption still happens, but Amazon ensures it buys enough clean, renewable energy to cover all that usage.
• This balance of energy usage and renewable energy purchases makes the net carbon emissions equal to zero.