Apple's massive NC solar farm near completion

New aerial photos captured by WCNC-TV and published by GigaOm this week demonstrate that Apple's massive solar farm set to power its North Carolina data center is almost finished. The new expansive facility locates adjacent to Apple's data center in Maiden, N.C.

The images show that major progress has been made since earlier this year, when Wired commissioned aerial photos of the property. When it becomes operational, the 100-acre solar farm will be the largest of its kind in the country. The photos show only one of the solar farms that Apple is planning. A second facility, also 100 acres, will also be located a few miles away.

These two solar facilities will supply 84 million kilowatt-hours of clean, renewable energy annually. Apple has said it will be the largest non-utility fuel cell installation operating anywhere in the country, and will be powered by 100 percent biogas.