Amazon targeted in Greenpeace clean cloud campaign

Eco-campaigning charity Greenpeace has up a website to highlight Amazon's less than stellar attempts to become more green.

The website (www.greenaws.com) pretends that Amazon is about to launch a new clean-powered pilot project to a select few customers. It claims that Amazon's "Green Team" is working with customers to "increase AWS’s use of renewable energy to power our data centers."

The website also claimed that starting in the first quarter of next year AWS will be piloting a "special Green Instance of EC2 and S3 that will be powered fully by renewable energy for those select customers who want to be the first to receive a clean cloud option."

However, another page reveals that the pilot isn't actually happening at all and said that competitors, such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft and even Apple have more energy transparency than Amazon.

"Unfortunately, AWS does not currently offer a cloud powered by renewable energy – even though other competitors provide a much greener cloud option," said the charity on another page of the website.

Greenpeace estimated that AWS's data centers currently uses 57 percent dirty energy and only 14 percent clean energy. Google, Facebook and Rackspace are all using cleaner energy mixes, the charity claimed.

Greenpeace said on the campaign website more companies are "committing to power their cloud with renewable energy."

"It makes financial sense and is good for the planet," said the charity. " AWS, like any prosperous business, listens to its customers' demands."

It urged companies to contact their AWS representative and make their voice heard.

Cloud Pro contacted Amazon for a comment, but at the time of writing it hasn't responded. This story will be updated as and when we get a response.