Combined, this means that the fields will yield a capacity of 106MW, generating enough electricity to power over 17,000 U.S homes. Since April 2010, the company has invested more than $1billion in both solar and wind projects.
According to Google’s official blog, the company is about to invest approximately $80 million into six solar power fields in California and Arizona.
Combined, this means that the fields will yield a capacity of 106MW, generating enough electricity to power over 17,000 U.S homes. Since April 2010, the company has invested more than $1billion in both solar and wind projects.
The blog post stated:
“By continuing to invest in renewable energy projects, purchasing clean energy for our operations and working with our utility partners to create new options for ourselves and for other companies interest in buying renewable energy, we’re working hard to make that future a reality.”
But have any other digital companies invested in renewable energy?
In 2010, Facebook came under fire when it announced that it was going to run a giant data center in Oregon powered on coal. Over 500,000 people campaigned to get the facility using a cleaner form of energy, and for the environment this is important, as by 2020, all data centers and telecommunication networks are expected to consume 1,963bn kilowatt hours of electricity.
It seems however, that Facebook actually paid attention to the campaign, as its newest data center inIowa shall be offset by a 138-MW wind farm.
Data centre energy Manager, Vincent Van Son, said:
«When we settled on Altoona as the location for our fourth data center, one of the deciding factors was the opportunity to help develop a new wind project in the state.
«In effect it makes it possible, on an annualized basis, for 100% of our energy needs to be met entirely with one of Iowa’s most abundant renewable resources.»
He also added that Facebook aims to achieve 25% clean energy for its data centers by 2015.
In an age where 55 per cent of people state that they would actually consider paying more money for clean energy, it seems that both Facebook and Google are making greener choices for the future.
However, it would seem that both Google and Facebook have been out shadowed in their efforts, as according to Apple, up to 75% of their energy came from renewable energy in 2012; serving as part of their plan to become 100 per cent energy efficient.
According to the company:
“Our investments are paying off. We’ve already achieved100 per cent renewable energy at all our data centres, at our facilities in Austin, Elk Grove, Cork and Munich, and at our Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino. And for all of Apple’s corporate facilities worldwide, we’re at 75 per cent.”
It was also announced at the start of the month, that Apple are planning a factory in Arizona that will run totally on renewable energy.
Written by Andrew Jessop, a content writer Blueclaw Media LTD.
