VMware Achieves Carbon Neutrality and Partners with City of Palo Alto on Community Microgrid, as Part of Global Impact Initiative

PALO ALTO, Calif., November 1, 2018 /3BL Media/ -- VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), a leading innovator in enterprise software, has announced the achievement of key milestones in its journey to drive positive global impact across people, products and the planet. At the opening of the new VMware Discovery Center in Palo Alto, CEO Pat Gelsinger announced the company has achieved carbon neutrality in global operations two years ahead of the company’s scheduled 2020 goal, and a partnership with the City of Palo Alto to develop a proof-of-concept for a community microgrid.  

Throughout VMware’s 20-year history, the company has pioneered solutions to help build a low-carbon economy. This year, VMware was recognized as No. 17 on Fortune magazine’s “Change the World” list for the impact of its virtualization technologies in making IT infrastructure dramatically more efficient. VMware products and solutions have helped customers avoid putting a cumulative total of approximately 540 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere—equivalent to powering 68 percent of U.S. households for one year1. VMware embeds sustainability throughout its business practices and operations, and aims to have a net positive impact on a global scale.

“As an innovative company with sustainability at our core, we are thrilled to announce our partnership with the City of Palo Alto and recognize our achievement of carbon neutrality two years ahead of our 2020 goal,” said Pat Gelsinger, chief executive officer, VMware. “The new Discovery Center, as a forum that intends to inspire collaboration, is an especially fitting space for celebrating these milestones and engaging luminaries in a discussion on how technology and digital infrastructure can help the industry meet the United Nations’ 2030 goals.”

Achieving Carbon Neutrality Two Years Ahead of Schedule
VMware has achieved carbon neutrality in its global operations through an aggressive combination of energy efficiency initiatives, renewable energy projects and purchasing, and delivering financing to low-carbon, sustainable development projects.

Community Microgrid Proof-of-Concept to Serve as Testbed for Future Innovation
VMware and the City of Palo Alto also announced their intent to work together on a joint exploration of a community microgrid. Beginning as a proof-of-concept on the VMware headquarters campus, the microgrid will serve as a testbed to explore the potential of community microgrids for controlling distributed energy resources and integrating renewable energy in order to maintain resilience at the corporate and community level.

“VMware’s work on a new microgrid project and its partnership with the City of Palo Alto is a powerful example of how industry and innovation can join with the public sector to make sustainable economic development a reality for everyone,” said Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo.

Renewable energy-powered microgrids allow communities to operate independently and recover faster when the main grid is down, and provide an indefinite source of backup power for fire, medical, and other emergency services. By investing in technologies that have the potential to transform how neighborhoods, towns, and cities meet their energy needs, VMware is accelerating progress toward a future that includes more renewable energy delivered into a distributed, responsive, efficient and secure smart electrical grid.

Community Event and Panel Discussion: “Innovating for Good – the Opportunity and Responsibility for Tech”
A one-hour panel discussion entitled “Innovating for Good – The Opportunity and Responsibility for Tech,” will explore the connections between the Fourth Industrial Revolution and accelerating progress on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 9: Industries, Innovation and Infrastructure. Hosted by Chris Coulter, chief executive officer, GlobeScan, the panel will focus on the collective opportunity to drive resilient and sustainable economic development. Panelists include:

• Nicola Acutt, Vice President, Sustainability Strategy, VMware
• Debra Dunn, Co-founder, FEED Collaborative, Stanford University
• Victoria E. Lee, Fourth Industrial Revolution for the Earth Lead, World Economic Forum
• Jonathan Reichental, Chief Information Officer, City of Palo Alto
• Bob Sutton, Stanford Professor and Author

Supporting Quotes
“Collaboration is key to creating an economy that enables dramatic reductions in carbon emissions and builds climate resilience. Companies in the technology sector have an opportunity to lead and create opportunities for others to act on climate—and VMware has set its sights on doing just that. Reaching carbon neutrality two years ahead of schedule is one example of what this leadership can look like.”

Michael Rohwer, Associate Director, Information and Communications Technology, BSR

“CDP recognizes VMware’s strong sustainability performance having earned an A- on their 2016 and 2017 CDP Climate Change disclosures, committed to setting a science-based target, and this year reached a significant milestone by engaging their suppliers through CDP’s supply chain program to improve the environmental performance of their supply chain. VMware also committed to powering its global operations with 100% renewable electricity, joining over 150 peer companies in the RE100 program. Last year VMware disclosed that they are already 77% of the way to reaching their goal.

“It has been great to watch VMware accelerate their global commitments over the past year and we congratulate them on reaching their commitment to carbon neutrality ahead of schedule.”

Betty Cremmins, Director, CDP West, CDP

Additional Resources 

• Learn more about the VMware Community Microgrid and Partnership with the City of Palo Alto
• Connect with VMware on Twitter and Facebook

About VMware 
VMware software powers the world’s complex digital infrastructure. The company’s compute, cloud, mobility, networking and security offerings provide a dynamic and efficient digital foundation to over 500,000 customers globally, aided by an ecosystem of 75,000 partners. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, this year VMware celebrates twenty years of breakthrough innovation benefiting business and society. For more information, please visit https://www.vmware.com/company.html.

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Media Contact
Ellen Healy
VMware Global Communications
1.415.654.2940
healye@vmware.com

^₁ Belanger, Stephen, Brad Casemore, Shannon Kalvar, Eric Sheppard. “Infrastructure Virtualization leads the way in reducing the Carbon Cost of Growth.” IDC White Paper, sponsored by VMware. August 2018.