Solar and wind do not necessary help cover peak loads--because they are not reliable. Instead, much of the peak load will be covered by peaking plants (which are generally natural gas).
For example, here's the current load data for the California grid operator: http://www.caiso.com/Pages/TodaysOutlook.aspx#Renewables Note that today's peak electricity production will come at 9pm--far after solar is helpful.
Solar and wind also don't help keep the lights on in the middle of the night--that's the role of baseload plants like coal and nuclear.
According to the Energy Information Administration as of December 2012, 40 percent of NC's electricity came from coal and 39 percent from nuclear. http://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=NC#tabs-4
100% of what Apple said is true, on a monthly basis the amount of energy they consume in their data centers is exactly equivalent to the amount of energy, generated by renewable sources, that they create or buy.
For example, here's the current load data for the California grid operator: http://www.caiso.com/Pages/TodaysOutlook.aspx#Renewables Note that today's peak electricity production will come at 9pm--far after solar is helpful.
Solar and wind also don't help keep the lights on in the middle of the night--that's the role of baseload plants like coal and nuclear.
According to the Energy Information Administration as of December 2012, 40 percent of NC's electricity came from coal and 39 percent from nuclear. http://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=NC#tabs-4