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Google Campus to Become Solar-powered

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the off-the-grid dept.

prostoalex writes "Reuters is reporting that Google is equipping its headquarters with a solar panel 'capable of generating 1.6 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power 1,000 California homes.' This will make Google's Mountain View campus the largest solar-powered office complex in the United States."

14 of 394 comments (clear)

  1. Does this mean... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can only google stuff when the sun is shining in Mountain View?

    1. Re:Does this mean... by aussie_a · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'm actually worried about a hostile takeover from sun. With Google being so reliant upon sun for their energy, they won't have any defence.

  2. Good, but not a huge deal by rm999 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "A Google executive said the company will rely on solar power to supply nearly a third of the electricity consumed by office workers at its roughly one-million-square-foot headquarters. This does not include power consumed by data centers that power many of Google's Web services worldwide, he said."

    That's great, I am really proud of them for using an alternative energy source (especially in such a sunny area) but most of their energy usage is those data centers and servers, not their employees. They purposefully did not give a % of total energy saved because it probably would have been on the order of 0.1-5%, which would have revealed the ridiculous amount of energy they actually use.

    1. Re:Good, but not a huge deal by jazir1979 · · Score: 5, Funny

      A fine philosophy indeed. I salute you!

      I mean the "not being part of the problem" bit - I'm a bit concerned about your combination of tofu, handjobs and watermelon.

      --
      What's your GCNSEQNO?
  3. Oh, the implications! by SocialEngineer · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wonder how easy the transition will be for them to leave Linux behind in favor of a sun powered setup.

    Oh yes. I went there.

    --
    "Better to be vulgar than non-existent" -Bev Henson
  4. Google too powerful? by x2A · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah but wait til Google becomes too powerful, the only option we'll have to shut the computers down will be to black out the sky :-/

    I think I heard a story about it once...

    --
    The revolution will not be televised... but it will have a page on Wikipedia
  5. Re:Just one? by gbobeck · · Score: 5, Funny
    What if it breaks?

    Two words: Duct Tape.
    --
    Navicula hydraulica plena anguilarum est. Omnes castelli tuus nostri sunt. Ed elli avea del cul fatto trombetta.
  6. Re:Commendable by JymmyZ · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't think there's enough space in all of California that could be covered in the solar panels needed to power their data centers. Maybe if they bought New Mexico and turned it into one big panel array though.

    --
    The unexamined life is not worth living
  7. Hours by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, I guess that's one way to keep people from working late...

  8. Payback? by Nick9000 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I wonder what the energy payback period is expected to be? I've heard up to thirty years for solar panels, which has always put me off because I would guess in 5-10 years there will be improvements in the amount of energy a panel can produce.

  9. Re:Long Term Benefit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The windfarms will take care of the birds. Crisis averted!

  10. Re:Just one? by flyingsquid · · Score: 5, Funny
    Remember: There are only two tools in life. WD-40, for when something doesn't move, and should, and Duct Tape, for when something is moving and it shouldn't.

    So does the universe explode if you spray duct tape with WD-40?

  11. Re:Just one? by gbobeck · · Score: 5, Funny

    Lets conduct an experiment and investigate what will happen if duct tape is sprayed with WD-40.

    But, before we use any power tools, let's take a moment to talk about shop safety. Be sure to read, understand, and follow all the safety rules that come with your power tools. Knowing how to use your power tools properly will greatly reduce the risk of personal injury. And remember this: there is no more important safety rule than to wear these -- safety glasses and a funny hat.

    I have with me a brand new roll of duct tape, and a fresh can of WD-40. Next to me is my trusty lab assistant, Timmy, who will be assiting in this experiment.

    I am now going to rip a piece of duct tape approximately six inches long off of the roll and have Timmy hold it.

    (I rip tape and hand it to Timmy)

    Ok, Timmy, hold the tape tight, I am going to commence spraying the tape.

    (I spray the tape)

    Ok, Timmy... continue to hold it as we observe what happens.

    (wait 5 seconds)

    Timmy has told me it is starting to shake and do funny things...

    OMG! A black hole has opened where the tape was. Timmy, hold on to it... this is the crucial moment...

    Uh, oh! I think we are going to need another Timmy! It looks like Timmy was consumed by the black hole.

    Luckily, I was prepaired for this. I will now throw into the black hole a few New Kids on the Block tapes and a copy of the movie Hobgobblins. This should cause the blackhole to enter "terminal suckage phase" and end its existance.

    (I throw in the NKotB tapes and the copy of Hobgobblins. The black hole immediately ceases to be)

    Well, it looks like yet another experiment has occured.

    Tune in next week when I will show everyone how to build a perpetual energy generator using a cat and a slice of buttered toast.

    --
    Navicula hydraulica plena anguilarum est. Omnes castelli tuus nostri sunt. Ed elli avea del cul fatto trombetta.
  12. Re:Long Term Benefit? by zcat_NZ · · Score: 5, Funny

    With a bit of luck, small dust-devils will clean off the panels and it will end up running years longer than it was designed for....

    --
    455fe10422ca29c4933f95052b792ab2