Last Wednesday, Google announced to get into the renewable energy business with GE. The plan is to invest in technologies for environmental solutions, build renewable energy plant and promote plug-in electricity cars.
The project, Renewable Energy cheaper than Coal
By planning to produce one gigwatt of renewable energy capacity, more cheaply than electricity generated by coal, Google expects to see a significant reduction in emission, as well as its energy cost.
The amount of electricity generated is "enough to power a city the size of San Francisco," according to Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google that is in charge of the environment projects.
Google has also been investigating the possibility to generate electricity for its headquarters in Mountain View, Ca. by using solar panels on the roof since last year.
Google's new endeavor also includes an ambition to promote low CO2 emitting cars and invest hundreds of millions into transforming the nation's electricity grid.
Some analysts questioned Google's new move as distraction to its core business and might hurt shareholders' benefit, Google's CEO Eric Schmidt responded in an NPR interview with Michele Norris:
"Understand that the energy prices drive the cost of Google. So if we can spend money now to save money in the future, that ultimately produces better long-term shareholder value."
Goolge's "Don't be evil" motto has long decided the company's idealism. An earlier NYT article cited Google's Letter From the Founders before the company’s 2004 initial public stock offering, Mr. Page and Mr. Brin wrote: “Our goal is to develop services that significantly improve the lives of as many people as possible. In pursuing this goal, we may do things that we believe have a positive impact on the world, even if the near-term financial returns are not obvious.”
Eric Schmidt stressed again in last week's radio interview:
"Is it good for the country? Absolutely. Is it good for Google and GE? Of course it is. What's wrong with that?"
2 comments:
Google renewable energy?
That's great. It is our responsibility to protect our environment from pollution. Good job!
A report from alien:
Autos are the most important creature on the earth. Every time they have a rest, parasite--human beings, will come out for wandering.
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