Mountain View, CA, United States (AHN) – Technology
and Internet giant Google is positioning itself to enter the energy business. Late last year the company formed a subsidiary called Google Energy and initiated steps to buy and sell electricity.
On Tuesday, the Federal Registrar noted the new subsidiary’s request to the agency that oversees the power grid the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
A spokesman says the new venture follows the company’s aim to pursue its corporate goal of carbon neutrality. The company currently has a large 1.6-megawatt solar installation at its headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., however the company wants to buy and sell electricity the way utilities do.
The benefit of this venture is it gives Google the ability to use far greater amounts of renewable energy to offset the energy consumption it takes to power its services.
In published reports, the company admits to not having any firm intentions on the aforementioned plans, but does want to place itself in a position to buy and sell electricity should it be added to the company’s growing portfolio of services.
Google is known for its 2007 carbon neutrality aims. To achieve this, the company has pledged to reduce energy consumption by maximizing efficiency; invest in and use renewable energy sources; and purchase carbon offsets for the emissions that they can’t use directly.
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