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Google says it will run entirely on renewable energy in 2017

nytimes.com

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Re: Google says it will run entirely on renewable energy in 2017

#11

Post by mbloom1915 »

jobu wrote: post #2

Unlike carbon-based power, Mr. Kava said, wind supply prices do not fluctuate, enabling Google to plan better. Can someone explain this? It seems like wind energy prices should fluctuate based on weather patterns (more wind == lower prices).

this has much more to do with the locked in rate utilities/the state demands when Distributed Generation (like wind and solar) are feeding into the grid. 'wind energy prices' is vague - not sure if it is getting at the relatively low fluctuating cost of standing up a turbine, OR the flat rate wind suppliers are paid for generation (like google)

Re: Google says it will run entirely on renewable energy in 2017

#13

Post by mbloom1915 »

zitterbewegung wrote: post #3

So if they increase the energy supply by investing/purchasing in renewable energy that would increase supply which would bring their energy costs down hypothetically?

Note Google in some cases does sell electricity generated from their wind/solar investments to the locals and new FERC order allows anyone who has DG to sell into wholesale markets. Sometimes their investment is near a data center so it hits the same local feeder, othertimes they say 'we can't do DG near the data center, so lets do it somewhere else that offsets the data center demand'. This is where the renewable energy credits come in and make the long term strategy worthwhile

Re: Google says it will run entirely on renewable energy in 2017

#14

Post by mbloom1915 »

mbloom1915 wrote: post #13
zitterbewegung wrote: post #3

So if they increase the energy supply by investing/purchasing in renewable energy that would increase supply which would bring their energy costs down hypothetically?

Note Google in some cases does sell electricity generated from their wind/solar investments to the locals and new FERC order allows anyone who has DG to sell into wholesale markets. Sometimes their investment is near a data center so it hits the same local feeder, othertimes they say 'we can't do DG near the data center, so lets do it somewhere else that offsets the data center demand'. This is where the renewable en…

the headline is quite misleading when you consider most google data centers still getting power from dirty sources - the 40% reduction in data center cost is impressive though (whoo AI!)

Re: Google says it will run entirely on renewable energy in 2017

#16

Post by nradov »

This is great progress and congratulations to Google. But Google and every other tech company is effectively still running on non-renewable energy by virtue of importing most of their hardware from places where manufacturing is done mostly with fossil fuels. All of us are outsourcing our pollution and CO2 production.

Re: Google says it will run entirely on renewable energy in 2017

#17

Post by wmeredith »

m3ta wrote: post #8
jobu wrote: post #2

Unlike carbon-based power, Mr. Kava said, wind supply prices do not fluctuate, enabling Google to plan better. Can someone explain this? It seems like wind energy prices should fluctuate based on weather patterns (more wind == lower prices).

It seems the author is using the phrase "do not fluctuate" to explain wind supply prices in the same way most people think, or assume, the value of the dollar does not fluctuate. Everything fluctuates, but some things are less prone to wild fluctuation, by quite a large margin.

I think that statement makes sense in the context of the fossil fuel markets.

Re: Google says it will run entirely on renewable energy in 2017

#19

Post by CmdrSprinkles »

jobu wrote: post #2

Unlike carbon-based power, Mr. Kava said, wind supply prices do not fluctuate, enabling Google to plan better. Can someone explain this? It seems like wind energy prices should fluctuate based on weather patterns (more wind == lower prices).

As others have mentioned, it is a narrow definition. The idea is that the only fluctuations occur due to uncontrollable factors (weather) which, in all fairness, do impact carbon-based power too (to varying degrees).

So a war in the middle east or a trade embargo won't impact the price per kwhr. Whereas a tornado would impact both wind and oil (even if just by slowing down the deliveries).

I would argue that wind (and solar (not so much hydro)) are much more susceptible to weather impact, but with sufficiently large capacitors/batteries that can be minimized.

Re: Google says it will run entirely on renewable energy in 2017

#20

Post by awqrre »

nradov wrote: post #16

This is great progress and congratulations to Google. But Google and every other tech company is effectively still running on non-renewable energy by virtue of importing most of their hardware from places where manufacturing is done mostly with fossil fuels. All of us are outsourcing our pollution and CO2 production.

The hardware for green energy production included, like solar panels... Since they don't last for ever and need lots of energy to be produced, I wonder how long it takes to just get even.
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