Amazon to open fulfillment center in Japan with geothermal heating
Amazon is taking a new step in its efforts to operate sustainably.
The online giant plans to open a fulfillment center in Nagoya, Japan that will use geothermal technology known as geo-exchange for heating and cooling. Amazon will harness underground temperatures to regulate the indoor climate of the building more efficiently compared to traditional systems.
The facility will also be the first Amazon building globally to feature vertical solar panels on the walls, and will be the company’s largest onsite solar project outside of the U.S. This effort is part of Amazon’s Climate Pledge to operate more sustainably and be net zero carbon across its entire business by 2040.
[READ MORE: Amazon deploys carbon-free energy at night with AI]
How it works
When temperatures rise in the summer, a geothermal heat pump will move water through 200 bores drilled more than 300 feet deep to absorb the Earth's naturally stable temperature. It will then bring that coolness back to the building's first floor to keep indoor temperatures comfortable.
In the winter, the process will be reversed, as the ground at a depth of 300-plus feet stays relatively warm. The circulating water will absorb heat and bring it back up to warm the building. Compared to regular air conditioning systems, Amazon says the geothermal cooling technology will use 30% less energy.
In addition, this fulfillment center will have solar panels installed on the roof, as well as in the parking lot and vertically on the building’s south-facing walls. These panels will absorb extra sunlight early in the morning and late in the afternoon as the sun moves across the sky and can also act as a giant heat shield for the building, helping to keep it cooler during hot summer days.
The solar panels have a combined capacity of 5.5MW, making it one of the largest onsite solar power systems at a logistics facility in Japan, and the largest onsite solar project by capacity in Amazon’s portfolio outside of the U.S. The fulfillment center will also be equipped with a 2.9 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery storage system, which will supply carbon-free energy to the building when the sun isn’t shining during the day, or at night.
Due to its s sustainability features, Amazon expects the fulfillment center to earn the “Zero Carbon Certification” from Living Future by the end of 2026.
“Amazon is committed to powering our operations more sustainably and accelerating new forms of energy technology,” said Amazon in a statement.
