| Industry | Power generation |
|---|---|
| Founded | December 16, 2009[1] |
| Products | Renewable energy |
| Parent |
Google Energy LLC is a subsidiary company of Google, which was created to reduce costs of energy consumption of the Google Group, amounting to 2.5 million dollars,[2] and subsequently to produce and sell clean energy. The division also allows it to take advantage of projects funded through the philanthropic Google.org.
By 2007, Google invested hundreds of millions of dollars in wind, solar, solar thermal, and geothermal projects, including a 1.6 MW solar installation pilot project at its headquarters. In 2010, Google Energy made its first investment in a renewable-energy project, putting up $38.8 million into two wind farms in North Dakota. The company announced the two locations will generate 169.5 MW of power, or enough to supply 55,000 homes. The farms, which were developed by NextEra Energy Resources, will reduce fossil fuel use in the region. NextEra Energy Resources sold Google a twenty percent stake in the project in order to get funding for project development.[3] In addition, on July 30, 2010, Google Energy agreed to purchase 100 MW of Iowa wind energy from NextEra Energy at a fixed rate for 20 years.[4][5][6][7] The electricity is intended to be primarily used for Google's data centers, but also may be sold on the open market.
In 2010, Google Energy together with a group of other investors announced plans to build the Atlantic Wind Connection, an undersea cable off the Atlantic coast to connect future offshore wind farms with on-shore transmission grids.[8]
In April 2011, they extended their partnership with NextEra by signing a 20-year power purchase agreement from their Minco II Wind Energy Center.[9] The 100.8-megawatt wind farm being developed in Grady and Caddo counties near Minco.
In February 2010 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FERC granted Google an authorization to buy and sell energy at market rates.[10]