Google and GE to Tag Team on US Government

September 18th, 2008 by Joshua S Hill

I’ve said from the very beginning of my writing here at Green Options, as have many other pundits and journalists the world over, that it will be big business that not only will, but has too lead the way to an environmentally friendly future. And one of those companies that have taken this challenge in hand is Internet search and advertising giant Google.

And now, announced on Wednesday, Google and technology giant General Electric will be teaming up to promote the need for a change to the US power grid and cleaner energy. They will also be working together on green energy technologies, as well as lobbying US political leaders to support what they call “visionary policies” focusing on renewable energies.

“Both companies believe that our economic, environmental and security challenges require that we use electricity more efficiently, generate it from cleaner sources, and electrify our transportation fleet,” the US firms said in a joint release (PDF). “This 21st century electricity system must combine advanced energy technology — a major GE focus — and cutting edge information technology — a major Google focus.”

Google has already poured millions of dollars into research and development of cleaner and renewable energy sources. Beyond that, they have made the leading step forward to bring change about by implementing change within their own ranks. The environmental policies at the Google campus in Mountain View, California, are monumental.

But all the research and development will be for naught if the US doesn’t make a change to its old power grid.

“We’ll start by working together in Washington, D.C., to mount a major policy effort to enable large-scale deployment of renewable energy generation in the United States,” said Michael Terrell of Google.org on Google’s official blog. “We’ll also work on development and deployment of the ‘smart’ electricity grid that will empower consumers, utilities, and technology innovators to manage electricity more efficiently and lower their carbon footprint.”

The partnership is also looking to work together on enhanced geothermal systems, which they believe could provide base-load power. This comes just a month after Google.org, Google’s philanthropic division, invested over $10 million in enhanced geothermal, another in a long string of renewable investments made by Google.

credit: mape_s at Flickr under a Creative Commons license











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