Google Aims for Renewable Google previously launched its Powermeter product to help monitor energy usage. Google

Google has broadened its horizons beyond the average Internet search company by launching its own Android phone, working on smart-charging electric cars, and playing with quantum computing. They also have a small contest called the Google Lunar X Prize. So perhaps we're not too surprised to hear that the newly launched Google Energy, a subsidiary formed last month, has applied for federal approval to buy and sell power, the New York Times reports.

The move supposedly will help Google have more flexibility in buying renewable energy for its data centers. But approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would also allow Google Energy to sell surplus energy on the usual markets.

Google also has the stated goal of ultimately making renewable energy cheaper than coal. The company's green energy czar, Bill Weihl, told the New York Times that Google hopes to bring its culture of innovation to bear on three technology areas that could boost renewable energy: concentrated solar thermal, enhanced geothermal and high-altitude wind. In that spirit, the company has invested in a number of smaller startups in those areas.

Given the energy challenges facing the U.S. and the world, it's not a bad way to kick off 2010.

[via New York Times]

16 Comments

Hmmm. The last time a company owned all the information AND the right to buy and sell energy in California, they called it Enron.

Just sayin'.

Because the economy sucks....this is not a monopoly. They are not taking small steps to take over the world...I like Google, but can some one tell me why these guys are not going to be like Microsoft...or Worst? Charisma and Deception they seem to work in times like these.

That explains all the large campaign donations from google. Money always greases the wheels of politics and regulations. The world is comfortably less idealogical and more practical once again. I actually feel safer with it this way.

lets just let google run the government.

a bunch of google haters here it seems. Personally this article is just saying how google is expanding and wants to be able to sell it energy on the market...would you people have this energy go to waste instead?

Not a Google hater; just wary of the military (you do know Google is in league w/them don't you?) and/or industrial complex impinging on our lives. Perhaps Google will also want to'save'on the amount of natural gas and petroleum they consume take over that market too. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that 'THEY' aren't after you! sic.

Just wait till they want to enter the banking sector.

i_tobor2525 - you DO know the medium you are sitting in front of now, communicating your ideas, was a result of a "industrial complex impinging on our lives" Department of Defense project called ARPAnet. Just checking.

You know how in cyberpunk books global corporations run most everything? That's what's happening here.

And considering I got to this link by a Google Reader app built into Google Homepage on Google Chrome, I, for one, welcome our new overlords.

Imagine the additional consumer data Google would have access to with the statistics on power consumption.

Beecher Bowers
www.beecherbowers.com

Personally this article is just saying how google is expanding and wants to be able to sell it energy on the market...would you people have this energy go to waste instead?

Barron at www.btscene.com

.I like Google, but can some one tell me why these guys are not going to be like Microsoft...or Worst?
www.realtorrentz.com

Perhaps Google will also want to'save'on the amount of natural gas and petroleum they consume take over that market too.
www.lyricsblog.org

Another massive company that REALLY just wants to pay less. How about getting more efficient, THAT is where Google should be looking to save.
http://www.torrentgamez.com

Im impressed A major corporation that uses massive amounts of power looking to rely on renewable energy. Sounds good to me. I only wish people in their day to day lives would do their part. It is a realistic solution if every house house had solar panels installed it would make such a huge impact. If you are ready to do your part to solve the problem take a look at green livings to learn to build your own solar panels for your home.
http://www.greenlivings.biz/home-made-renewable-energy/home-solar-energy/diy-home-solar-panels/learn-how-to-build-solar-panels-from-scratch

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June 2013: American Energy Independence

Five amazing, clean technologies that will set us free, in this month's energy-focused issue. Also: how to build a better bomb detector, the robotic toys that are raising your children, a human catapult, the world's smallest arcade, and much more.


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