*[Enwl-eng] Why Google Opts for Green Energy
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Apr 3, 2013, 7:16:41 AM4/3/13
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*Google Explains Why The Future Of Energy Is Green*
Michael Kanellos, Contributor
Google isn't investing billions into clean energy projects only to feel
good and make employees happy.
Google: Where it all began
The company is doing it because the bottomline results are supported by
data.
"While fossil-based prices are on a cost curve that goes up, renewable
prices are on this march downward," said Rick Needham, director of
energy and sustainability at Google, during a presentation at the
Cleantech Forum taking place in San Francisco. Even if you factor in how
fracking has reduced the cost of gas in many regions, the pricing trends
generally point toward renewables.
The reason, one could argue, centers on the energy source. The renewable
industry revolves around developing and mass manufacturing
technologies---efficient turbines, solar panels---to harvest somewhat
limitless, omnipresent natural resources. The fossil industry revolves
around applying technology to tapping resources that are much harder to
extract. Hence, fossil fuels tend to be more volatile in price. (Think
of it: you wake up because of the sun every day, not because of the
stench from a passing methane cloud.)
Some of his data points:
* 49% of the new capacity commissioned in the U.S. in 2012 was
renewable. 10GW of that new capacity, or 40%, came from wind. More wind
capacity was installed than natural gas capacity last year in the U.S.
Wind outpaced coal by 2X.
* The "capacity factor" or the percentage of time that wind
turbines are active has increased, he added. Capacity factors now hit 50
percent, thanks to better site selection and improved turbine
efficiency. In the past, capacity factor was closer to 30%. Wind farms
in optimal sites in the Midwest can produce power for 5 cents a kilowatt
hour, and that's before federal tax credits, he said.
* The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) from solar plants in the U.S.
dropped by 28% in the past year. Solar panels have dropped in price by
80 percent over the last five years.
* Solar will soon be at cost parity in many markets in the world.
Parity is already being achieved in Italy, Spain and Australia.
* The 240 EV chargers in the parking lots support a corporate EV
fleet that has logged 500,000 miles.
* Google has procured 260MW of wind power. Some wind contracts will
provide Google power at stable prices for up to 20 years.
* The company has also invested $1 billion directly into
alternative power projects that will generate over 2GW of power, or
twice as much power as Google used in 2011.
Google has also invested heavily in efficiency.
* An employee frustrated with his commute inspired Google to set up
its own van pool. Now, 4,500 employees ride on the Google shuttle fleet.
The custom-built coaches run on a biodiesel blend and come equipped with
WiFi so employees can work during the commute. It has taken 3,000 cars
off the road and reduces carbon emissions by 16,000 tons annually.
* Plus, the van pool lets Google use parking spaces for more
productive uses. (Real estate actually has become one of the big hidden
benefits for many companies when it comes to efficiency incentives, so
say building management companies, modular builders and people that
develop technology that reduces the amount of air conditioners and
backup systems you need for data centers.)
* Google's data centers use half as much power as conventional
ones. The company has saved over $1 billion in energy costs through data
center initiatives. (Author's note: you're probably wondering about the
photo of the Lego structure. That is the first Google storage system
ever. You can see it in the Gates building on the Stanford campus.)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelkanellos/2013/03/20/google-explains-why-the-future-of-energy-is-green/
*** NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this
material is distributed, without profit, for research and educational
purposes only. ***
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Subject: News: Why Google Opts for Green Energy
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Michael Kanellos, Contributor
Google isn't investing billions into clean energy projects only to feel
good and make employees happy.
Google: Where it all began
The company is doing it because the bottomline results are supported by
data.
"While fossil-based prices are on a cost curve that goes up, renewable
prices are on this march downward," said Rick Needham, director of
energy and sustainability at Google, during a presentation at the
Cleantech Forum taking place in San Francisco. Even if you factor in how
fracking has reduced the cost of gas in many regions, the pricing trends
generally point toward renewables.
The reason, one could argue, centers on the energy source. The renewable
industry revolves around developing and mass manufacturing
technologies---efficient turbines, solar panels---to harvest somewhat
limitless, omnipresent natural resources. The fossil industry revolves
around applying technology to tapping resources that are much harder to
extract. Hence, fossil fuels tend to be more volatile in price. (Think
of it: you wake up because of the sun every day, not because of the
stench from a passing methane cloud.)
Some of his data points:
* 49% of the new capacity commissioned in the U.S. in 2012 was
renewable. 10GW of that new capacity, or 40%, came from wind. More wind
capacity was installed than natural gas capacity last year in the U.S.
Wind outpaced coal by 2X.
* The "capacity factor" or the percentage of time that wind
turbines are active has increased, he added. Capacity factors now hit 50
percent, thanks to better site selection and improved turbine
efficiency. In the past, capacity factor was closer to 30%. Wind farms
in optimal sites in the Midwest can produce power for 5 cents a kilowatt
hour, and that's before federal tax credits, he said.
* The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) from solar plants in the U.S.
dropped by 28% in the past year. Solar panels have dropped in price by
80 percent over the last five years.
* Solar will soon be at cost parity in many markets in the world.
Parity is already being achieved in Italy, Spain and Australia.
* The 240 EV chargers in the parking lots support a corporate EV
fleet that has logged 500,000 miles.
* Google has procured 260MW of wind power. Some wind contracts will
provide Google power at stable prices for up to 20 years.
* The company has also invested $1 billion directly into
alternative power projects that will generate over 2GW of power, or
twice as much power as Google used in 2011.
Google has also invested heavily in efficiency.
* An employee frustrated with his commute inspired Google to set up
its own van pool. Now, 4,500 employees ride on the Google shuttle fleet.
The custom-built coaches run on a biodiesel blend and come equipped with
WiFi so employees can work during the commute. It has taken 3,000 cars
off the road and reduces carbon emissions by 16,000 tons annually.
* Plus, the van pool lets Google use parking spaces for more
productive uses. (Real estate actually has become one of the big hidden
benefits for many companies when it comes to efficiency incentives, so
say building management companies, modular builders and people that
develop technology that reduces the amount of air conditioners and
backup systems you need for data centers.)
* Google's data centers use half as much power as conventional
ones. The company has saved over $1 billion in energy costs through data
center initiatives. (Author's note: you're probably wondering about the
photo of the Lego structure. That is the first Google storage system
ever. You can see it in the Gates building on the Stanford campus.)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelkanellos/2013/03/20/google-explains-why-the-future-of-energy-is-green/
*** NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this
material is distributed, without profit, for research and educational
purposes only. ***
From: "Yahoo Newsgroups" <vasi...@ramapo.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 7:42 AM
Subject: News: Why Google Opts for Green Energy
------------- * ENWL * ------------
Ecological North West Line * St. Petersburg, Russia
Independent Environmental Net Service: http://www.bellona.ru/enwl/
Russian: ENWL(discussions), ENWL-inf(FSU information), ENWL-misc(any topics)
English: ENWL-eng (world information)
en...@lew.spb.org, enwl...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org
Subscription, Moderator: vf...@lew.spb.org or en...@enw.net.ru
Archive: http://enwl.bellona.ru/pipermail/
and http://groups.google.com/group/enwl/
SEE ALSO: http://www.bellona.org (English)and http://www.bellona.ru
(Russian)
RSS: http://groups.google.ru/group/enwl/feeds?hl=ru
(C) Please refer to exclusive articles of ENWL
-------------------------------------
ONLY if your address is subscribed:
Enwl-eng mailing list
Enwl...@enwl.bellona.ru
http://enwl.bellona.ru/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/enwl-eng
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