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Google has always been at the cutting eadge of search engine technology, now it’s leading the way in the energy stakes, according to a report in The New York Times.
The California-based company has been flying under the radar for the past 10 years with regard to renewable energy. During that time, it has secured deals with several renewable energy producers whereby Google guarantees to buy their energy. This energy is then plugged into the grid, but the guarantees Google provides allow the renewable companies to borrow more from lending institutions and invest in more renewables.
It’s not like Google’s computers or buildings are run by wind farms. Like all of us, it gets its energy from the local power company. However, by paying for the renewable-created energy, Google can call itself fossil-fuel neutral as the amount of alternative energy it assists in producing nullifies the amount of fossil fuels it consumes.
The company sees it as a win-win deal for several reasons. It is championing the cause of renewables, which it has been passionate about for years; wind supply prices don’t fluctuate so they will eventually become a fixed cost; and the more it buys into renewables the cheaper the sources (supposedly) become.
However, there is a still a downside. While the company itself may be fossil neutral, the services it provides to consumers does have a negative impact. As well as running its search engine, which is used by 100s of millions of people every day, it also owns high consumer-demand businesses like gmail and YouTube. These means consumers are using up energy almost as fast as the power companies can produce it via coal and other less eco-friendly means.