Google invests in renewable energy

Google has outlined plans to invest in renewable energy as part of the search engine's aim to commit to a clean and green energy future.

The search engine has created a new initiative called RE< C that will develop electricity from renewable energy sources such as solar thermal and wind power.

Google, which expects to spend tens of millions on research and development in renewable energy in 2008, said by investing in renewable energy it displaces some of its electricity demand.

The search engine said: "At Google, we know how small actions can add up. We earn revenue one click at a time, and have built a very successful business on this model. But these clicks don’t just drive revenue. In aggregate, these billions of clicks require an extensive computer infrastructure to run the services that hundreds of millions of people use every day.

"This infrastructure requires electricity, much of which is produced from sources that generate a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions."

Larry Brilliant, executive director of Google.org (Google's philanthropic arm), said: "Google.org's hope is that by funding research on promising technologies, investing in promising new companies, and doing a lot of research and development ourselves, we may help spark a green electricity revolution that will deliver breakthrough technologies priced lower than coal."

At the end of October, Google launched a service to help people calculate, reduce and compare their carbon emissions.

You can discover other ways that you can go green with Google here or click here for more information on Google's commitment to a clean energy future.

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