make strategic investments and grants that demonstrate a path toward
producing energy at an unsubsidized cost below that of coal-fired
power plants. Google will work with a variety of organizations in the
renewable energy field, including companies, R&D laboratories, and
universities.
Google also expects to make money at this, eventually, too.
The question is why. Why does Google want to step beyond the cyber
information and media world to the rough and tumble world of energy?
On the surface the answer is simple, because it can, and it wants to.
But it's more than that. It's because it's in a unique position to do so.
Google has always been willing to take risks and forgo profits for
long periods of time. Google looks for the long term potential to make
money. Unprofitable when it was bought, YouTube is one example. Google
itself is another. How long, how many years did Google operate before
making a dime? Quite a few as I recall.
Google is willing to cause a little disruption within industry,
including its own. Getting involved in a disruptive industry -
renewable energy - seems a perfect match. If Google can sell energy
cheaper than coal then they would certainly be disruptive.
Google has deep pockets. Nuf said here.
Google can close its doors to special interests. Whereas Washington -
and by extension, various branches of the federal government - and to
some extent a few state governments - are trying to shape our energy
future. But special interest is working hard to shape government in
pursuit of profits. But Google doesn't have to return phone calls when
the coal industry wants to talk. Google has its version of what's
right for the nation, the planet.
Like many companies now, Google is concerned for the future of the
planet. Other programs within Google and Google.org make that obvious.
It's Specialized / Google Innovate or Die contest for pedal-powered
machines is one example. Another is Google.org's RechargeIT Initiative
to accelerate the adoption of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and
vehicle-to-grid technology.
Finally, and most importantly, Google believes that the solutions, the
innovations to solve our problems, are most likely already out there,
either developed but not recognized as such, or still in the deep
recesses of someone's mind. And who else would be able to find this
information? Google, in the endless pages of the World Wide Web which
in some ways it governs.
Those ideas might be within a government laboratory or a white paper
it has produced and published on the web; or stashed in the archives
of the some nation's patent office for a deep search to find. But just
as likely some small company or inventor, working out of his or her
garage workshop has some answers. Google could find them.
When somebody wants information they usually begin with Google. For
Google to find information they need only to search themselves.
Somewhere in cyberspace there are some answers to save the planet.
With RE
Google Clean Energy
- Ross Mayhew.
posted to ClimateConcern
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