http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10456435-54.html?tag=mncol;mlt_related

It's hard to say what Google's true intentions are, but they have invested heavily in finding ways to produce clean energy, and with their cash backing it and innovative tendencies, it will be interesting to follow this. They specifically want to find a way to make green electricity cheaper than coal.

Is there some way to square the circle on these two quotes from that article?

The order specifically grants Google Energy--a subsidiary of Google--the rights "for the sale of energy, capacity, and ancillary services at market-based rates" while acknowledging that neither Google Energy nor its affiliates "own or control any generation or transmission" facilities.

...

The company has launched its own energy pilot projects including a 1.6-megawatt solar installation for its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters, thought to be the largest corporate-owned installation in the U.S.

Hmmm---Plans for the Bloombox??

Hmmm---Plans for the Bloombox??

That would be my guess.

That would be my guess.

Didn't you mention on another thread that you thought running a SOFC cell in reverse could be used as a carbon capture technique??

Yes it would take energy input but at least you would be making fuel at the same time?

Google sponsored many videos for new energy promotion. This was part of their selection process to decide where and how to invest in the energy business. The most attractive one I've seen is http://neinuclearnotes.blogspot.com/2008/11/thorium-at-googles-tech-talk.html I was hoping that Google would promote and even fund this LFTR renascence. Apparently they did not. I would like to know why not as this is the single most attractive solution to the world's energy problems I have seen.

The order specifically grants Google Energy--a subsidiary of Google--the rights "for the sale of energy, capacity, and ancillary services at market-based rates" while acknowledging that neither Google Energy nor its affiliates "own or control any generation or transmission" facilities.
Isn't that what Enron did?

This would allow google to buy clean energy at wholesale prices offered to utilities by clean energy producers instead of buying at steeply marked up retail prices. For example the biomass power plants sells electricity at $75 per Mwhr and so google will be able to buy at the same rate instead of $350 per mwhr retail price. Google will then be it's own primary customer and having access to cheaper priced clean energy they will be able to claim clean renewable energy that are being used by all their servers, obtained at producer prices.