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39 Comments
- TJ11240, on 03/10/2009, -0/+10Because its worth developing
- rahsut, on 03/10/2009, -0/+9it really bothers me that so many people/corporations think that doing what is right/responsible and doing what is profitable are two separate things
google has got the right idea here, they're going to invest in clean energy and spur massive advancement in that sector and will probably make quite a lot of money doing so. its a win-win situation - bdfariello, on 03/10/2009, -0/+6"it's the right thing to do for the world."
I guess this would qualify as not being evil. - hamobu, on 03/10/2009, -1/+6Oil is not going anywhere. Oil is a magical substance! We use it to make plastics, medicine, fertilizer, etc. When you think about it, it is really stupid to burn Oil for energy. But even as an energy source Oil is hard to beat. It takes energy of 1 gallon of Oil to get 25 gallons out of the ground in Saudi Arabia (it used to be 1 for 100, but it is getting more and more difficult as wells dry up). For coal this ratio is energy of 1 lb of coal to get 2 lb out of the ground.
- xDynaBlade, on 03/10/2009, -2/+6Cold fusion for the win!!
- Deaus, on 03/10/2009, -4/+8Can we just put google in charge of everything? They clearly give more of a ***** about us than every Fortune 500 CEO+Board combined.
- Cassanova, on 03/10/2009, -0/+4Haha well I think Google is taking over the world whether we want it to or not.
- MrFunStuff, on 03/10/2009, -0/+4Co2 emissions are not and have not been the only reason to switch to a cleaner alternative to oil. Nobody likes being a slave to the oil companies. To suggest that the only reason to support alternative energy's is because of CO2 emissions is dumb.
- trythison4sighs, on 03/10/2009, -0/+3In answer to your MANY questions it's actually quite simple if you READ the article! By Google "investing" it's news and it's great for PR (because they care).Then, if they "invest" in companies that are researching "renewable energy" then they help push the Government to fund the research it's win - win! Example - GE they've been dropping for years. GE has been trying for the "green image" for years. Then, Immault goes to the White House to talk to President Obama about renewable energy. Now, who do you think will get those Government grants/subsidies for renewable energy? GE?
- JoeHammer, on 03/10/2009, -0/+3We all read/saw Watchmen, we know how this ends....
- crunchdigg, on 03/10/2009, -1/+4Oil companies are not stupid. They currently tout their clean energy programs endlessly.
I think that's mostly PR but there's nothing stopping them from actually producing
if it becomes economically viable to do so. They are clearly already hedging their bets
to redefine themselves as "energy companies" instead of "oil companies".
It there ever exists a large scale hydrogen economy (I'm very skeptical) or solar power
business or wind business, expect many of the same big oil and energy company names to be
prominent. - bdfariello, on 03/10/2009, -0/+2I say let's cut the ***** and just build a Dyson Ring already.
- douglaslondrina, on 03/10/2009, -1/+3The thing is that they use too much energy to run their servers. If they don't come up with some new form of getting (cheaper) energy, soon enough the cost of keep all that running will be to much expensive. This is a necessary long-term move.
- MrFunStuff, on 03/10/2009, -0/+2sorry for the Obvious statement jimmyjohnston.
Many time I see people say to people who don't subscribe to man made global warming "What's the harm in going on clean energy? If we are wrong we just have a cleaner earth." Like not beveling in man mad globe warming or man made climate change, means your some how against cleaner energy and believing in climate change means you are some how helping clean energy.
All I'm saying is believing or not believing in a surtain theory does not help cleaner alternative energies on it's own.
Action helps! Like I am ordering part to convert my diesel car that runs on oil too one that runs on vegetable oil. - inactive, on 03/10/2009, -2/+4Nuclear energy, if it is good enough for Iran it is good enough for America.
- sivyr, on 03/10/2009, -0/+2That may have something to do with their short term plans, yes. But as MistrBrownstone so poignantly stated, their long-term plan with this is to make a ***** ton of cash becoming the North American leader in energy production. They'll be running the grid and all the information regarding power usage will flow through them. A very powerful position.
For years I've been waiting to see which energy company would be the first to preempt the others in releasing a plan for renewable energy. They've all been biding their time, milking the last of the profits on oil and waiting for the time to spring a renewable energy plan to get the jump on their competitors. That much seems clear, but I bet they're scrambling to do something now that Google, a non-competitor until very recently, suddenly jumped in and stole their future market.
I love Google, but I'm terrified of the power they are coming to wield. If mega-corporations become a reality someday, my bet is on Google as the first. - alphaeno, on 03/10/2009, -0/+2Soon, when WW3 is near, Google will unleash its cheap energy upon the world. And Dr. Manhattan will leave the galaxy.
- bingostud722, on 07/13/2009, -0/+1Do you just have no idea how solar energy or wind power work? The energy collected is stored - just because the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing at that moment doesn't mean the energy is unable to be utilized.
Plus, if they are able to generate their own electricity to power their server farms and draw significantly less off the power grid, wouldn't you consider that saving money? - TKDGIT, on 03/10/2009, -1/+2Renewable energies right now are more expensive than traditional sources, but the more prevalent they become the cheaper they become. Also, it's the initial cost that gets you. You may have a while to wait until you break even, but after that your energy is costing you nothing but maintenance of equipment. The value of your renewable energy source will increase as the price of traditional energy sources increase and you aren't subject to the increase. The thing about renewable energy is that there isn't just one solution. You're right, the sun doesn't always shine, and the wind doesn't always blow -that's why you need multiple renewable resources. I think the fact that Google is such a huge energy suck is exactly why they're trying to spearhead this movement. Not only will it help ease their environmental conscience, but it will serve as a great example for others. If they are successful in significantly reducing or eliminating their non-renewable energy sources it would prove that it can be done.
- Bananaboy8000, on 06/19/2009, -0/+1pshhh renewable energy push...I volunteer at least one day a week in my community to help people become more green...i think I would know what's renewable energy push.
- larryg2k3, on 04/30/2009, -0/+1More news/opinion on alternative energy can be found at www.NextGenEnergy.blogspot.com
- fauxbro, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1Actually Solar and Wind are producers of energy....storing it is a whole nother matter
- pw378, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=coldfusion& ...
- bingostud722, on 07/13/2009, -0/+1tl;dr - energy gambling. The *****
- Countess666, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1iran has enough reserves of uranium to run their country off of for a few hunderd years.. America not so much.
and the whole world? that can run for about 50 years of off current known reserves.
if anything nuclear is at most a nice medium term stop gap giving us more time to develop better alternatives (green-renewable and fusion). - pirategaspard, on 03/10/2009, -1/+2<cfset stupid_cf_comment_flag = 1 />
<cfif stupid_cf_comment_flag >
<cfoutput>
Coldfusion FTW??
</cfoutput>
</cfif>
I know, this comment really wasn't worth the effort. - theskillwithin, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1not down enough to be less expensive.
- ashehudson, on 03/10/2009, -2/+2I got a great idea on how to use less energy! Lets have an economic collapse which creates a situation where most companies can't stay open and people can't afford to pay their power bill!
- xDynaBlade, on 03/10/2009, -1/+1The *****?
- pinecogrrl, on 03/10/2009, -1/+1The price of these technologies will come down the more we use them and integrate them into the marketplace. Solar and wind power have storage capabilities that can handle this. It'll work just fine when it's not sunny or windy.
- sivyr, on 03/10/2009, -1/+1As much as this economic downturn has hurt me, I can't help but think that it came at the perfect time to finally spur North America into doing something about its internal problems, energy generation, transportation and sustainability being a very major one.
You might say it jokingly, but honestly, this crash came at exactly the right time. You can't motivate people to get anything done without the threat of personal repercussions. - jimmyjohnston, on 03/10/2009, -2/+1Captain Obvious,
Did you read the article? Did you notice what one of the reasons were why they are looking into green technology? Just making sure because one of those reasons was the CO2/global warming, I chose to use the more PC term of climate change maybe that's what confused you. Thanks for pointing out there is more than one reason to drop the oil and coal companies for something cleaner. In case we didn't already know. - MistrBrownstone, on 03/10/2009, -4/+3Why is Google moving into renewable energy?
Because people are willing to throw ***** tons of cash into renewable energy. - jimmyjohnston, on 03/10/2009, -5/+4Google why waste your time doing this didn't you know there is no climate change from CO2, it's all a ploy from those liberal socialist anti-american democrats.
- inactive, on 03/10/2009, -7/+5But but but.....what will happen to BIG OIL???
- EnergyLottery, on 03/11/2009, -2/+0National Emergency Energy Farming Lottery
To the American Citizens,
NATIONAL LOTTERY HISTORY as quoted by Scientific Games Lottery-Museum
http://www.scigames.com/sections/lottery-museum/
“For almost 400 years the lottery has played a significant role in American history. From 1612 to 1621, it provided the colonists at Jamestown about 8,000 pounds a year that helped them pay passage for many of the new settlers. In 1776, a lottery authorized by the Continental Congress brought in revenue that helped offset the high cost of the Revolutionary War.
Lotteries held during the decade following the war allowed Congress to repay foreign and domestic loans made to the United States in the interest of the Revolution. Before, during, and after the war, state legislatures authorized lotteries that paid for the construction of buildings at Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth, Brown, and many other prestigious universities. In the 1790s lotteries subsidized state and private buildings in Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York.
For the next century lotteries built roads, bridges, railroads, and schools, as well as helping the poor, elderly, and destitute. Although lotteries were banned in the first half of the twentieth century because of isolated cases of fraud and abuse, community leaders and citizens never lost sight of the potential benefits of the lottery. In 1964, the lottery, protected by stringent legislation, re-emerged and once again this recreational "voluntary tax" provides revenues for public education, senior citizens, transportation, roads, and parks.”
As you can see by our history, my proposal below isn’t so much new as just rejuvenating a system that has worked for us in the past. Let’s do it again!
VISION FOR NATIONWIDE EMERGENCY ENERGY FARMING LOTTERY
GOAL:
To take 100 million structures off the grid (meaning reduced consumption-not batteries) in ten years and at same time have those same structures start producing back into the grid. A net difference of two. There are approximately 100-110 million homes. At 50 Million homes producing same amount or close to back into the grid would balance the other 50 Million homes thus taking us to a “Neutral” carbon footprint.
THE PLAN
It is a simple plan. Have a 24/7 $1 dollar national lottery ticket that would be run in all 50 states. The winners would be issued a $25,000 voucher which could be used for any energy generating product or “GREEN” appliances. Give it away. To a relative, friend or business. It doesn’t matter as long it goes “GREEN”. Would be fully transferable to any person or entity should the winner already have such items as: Solar, Wind, etc….
The Fed’s could help by some form of matching funds or tax credits.
Now, if $1 Billion tickets sold per week, (52.1 billion lottery tickets sold nationwide in 2008) it will generate 40,000 winners per week or 3.968 winners every minute. Every single week of the year, another 40,000 people would be “eliminating grid consumption”. 20.8 Million
Structures in 10 years effectively pumping electricity back into the grid, effectively dropping our carbon footprint at twice the speed to a neutral position. If we could get matching Federal Funds, we could double that number. Think of that! That’s 41.6 Million Structures. How many “GREEN” jobs would that create? Millions & Millions in all sectors of GREEN technologies.
The collection of monies will be fully 21st technology. After signing up On-Line; Phones, cell-phones, blackberries, TV sets, email would be but several ways of being notified upon winning. No store terminals will be required.
The day-to-day operations of the lottery would be run by a non-profit organization. For every $25,000 voucher, $10 would go for running operations and increase expansion of this non-profit organization. Therefore, the voucher would be $24,990. The organization purpose would be to help people with Disabilities, Veterans, Homeless, etc…get back on their feet.
ADDENDUM: (2-20-09)
In giving the above paragraph some thought. Here is what I’m envisioning. It is only a concept.
Tickets would be bought via a dedicated web-site. Purchasers would have the option of having their bank accounts debited on an individual basis. $1, $5, $10, $25, $50, $100 max. per month. The money debited against your account turns into Lottery Voucher Credits. They would have the option of a “window” so if they wanted to play at 5:00 pm every day, week, month, etc…they would have the option provided that window is available. Remember, a drawing is approx. every minute for 3.96 winners.
Every time $25,000 is collected, a random drawing from 00001-24990 would issue the winning number.
Thus, this lottery would be a 24/7 operation. Every 3.96 minutes another winning number would be issued. Since each drawing is only 24,990 players, we would need a method of notifying players that they are in the next drawing of 24,990 players and their number is 00001-24990 to prevent confusion as to what game they are entered in, based upon when debit from account occurs, kinda like Keno.
Upon winning, a message would go out to every player announcing the winning number for that drawing. Email, Iphones, cell-phones, text messaging, TV, website, blackberries, Ipods, etc…would be involved based upon players sign-up on the website. Should they win, a message would come up “YOU ARE A WINNER” $24,990 has been deposited to your account.
We would have an “APPROVED VENDOR LIST” on the website. Winners would then go to web-site and buy Solar Panels, Wind Turbines, Energy GREEN appliances, Hybrids, Solar Fans, etc…The company that they buy from would debit this account and ship product to the winners.
Since it’s fully transferable, this web-site account will have a method of transferring balance to another person, entity, corporation, etc…of their choosing provided they have an account on this web-site.
Since most people have a morbid curiosity of “how close” they came to winning, it would be fun to post the results as to how close they came. For example, I receive an email that says “your are number 12,345 the winner number was 12,347. You missed by two numbers. Please try again.
A TYPICAL SCENARIO IF I WON A $25,000 LOTTERY VOUCHER:
I would install Solar in my home which costs around $16,000. The balance of $9,000, I would buy “energy GREEN” appliances. A new Refrigerator, Washing Machine, Dryer, Freezer, Heating systems, etc…creating additional energy savings. The extra energy now generated would go directly back into the “Grid” creating additional credits to my account along with generating electricity nationwide back into the grid. The savings of approx. $3000-$6000/yr that I had been paying for monthly energy bills, I would probably buy a Hybrid because I could use my credits for charging my Hybrid. Now my home and vehicle/s would take us to a “0” carbon footprint for our home. As a side benefit of this proposal for Americans is with increased energy output nationwide, it should drive down cost per Kilowatt thus helping the Nation as a whole.
BENEFITS: (Why I would buy a lottery ticket)
1. Increases home values
2. Excess power creates “credits”. Approx. $0.09 cents per KWH ($avings) to homes
3. Increases disposable income by having minimum or no energy bills.
4. Starts to reduces carbon footprint immediately
5. No new power grid requirements
6. Get to buy new Energy GREEN appliances, bulbs, etc…
7. Use Balance for Hybrid purchase to create a “0” carbon footprint.
8. Spreads installation jobs evenly nationwide; installers, mfg’ers, sales
9. Increases energy GREEN jobs for American workers
10. Increases re-cycling of old “non-GREEN” appliances
11. Even distribution reduces risk of terrorist attach against our grid
12. Resistant to energy disruptions due to national disasters ie; Hurricane IKE
THE ODDS: (25,000 to 1) At 25,001 another lottery drawing is done, etc...
A billion per week is 40,000 winners, 3.96 winners every minute. Side Note: Approx. $1.04 Billion of yearly disposable income could be realized by elimination of monthly energy costs.
Winners Minute Winners Hour Winners Day Winners Week Winners Year
3.968 238.08 5,713.92 39,997.44 2,079,867
$99,200 $5,952,000 $142,848,000 $999,936,000 $51,996,672,000
HOMELAND SECURITY
The visions outlined above also defends against the possibility of terrorism regarding our energy grid. With a universal grid distribution, America disruption would be minimal due to the uniformity of energy being produced thru every home, apartments, mobile home parks, industrial complexes, local, state and federal buildings, etc…. nationwide.
CONCLUSION
I look forward to your next 8 years of Presidency. It should be an exciting time for Americans and the prospect of a greater mission for all Americans. Your inaugural speech inspired me to write this letter.
America is better than this. Honor and Integrity need to replace Greed and Immorality.
The mindset of corporations, institutions, government and the people needs to change.
In time of need, the American people have always stood together. This lottery would give the chance for the people to feel involved for a good cause to a new future.
By the People, for the People seems appropriate in this situation.
Even President Abraham Lincoln used lotteries to advance America’s destiny.
The spike in gasoline prices showed us how vulnerable the American people is when it comes to disposable income. We can’t keep the economy going if we don’t have any extra money to spend. When $800 billion leaves our economy for oil every year, it’s no wonder.
My proposals above would put substantial monies in your pockets. Instead of a tax rebate for a small amount, my plan would release that $300-$600 monthly electric bill every month allowing for a gradual influx of cash-flow back into the economy. More disposable income forever. Buy a Hybrid?
The visions outlined above would help America (and the world) in bringing about a cleaner environment and a new direction for the 21st Century.
I so hope you might give this some attention and support. The ripple effect of pumping $52 billion into our economy for GREEN jobs & products is self evident.
I am 57 years old and feel I’m starting to run out of time to effect positive influences on our planet as a whole. Let’s make the 21st Century a new beginning for us all. This will help.
God bless America,
God bless Planet Earth.
Sincerely,
Grass Valley, CA - theskillwithin, on 03/10/2009, -4/+1***** google, your in this for money.
all non-green energy is going to be taxed a *****, and what do your computers run off of?
stick to your company goal. information. - williepepper, on 03/10/2009, -9/+2Must be a really slow news day at digg.
This made it to the front page with just 57 diggs.
And no comments. - bogdon6, on 03/10/2009, -11/+3Google uses a lot of energy to run its server farms, so it's push for renewables doesn't make a ton of sense. Server farms needs electricity all the time, not just when the wind blows or the sun shines (geothermal is an option, but on expensive one). Why is Google supporting electricity what will drive up its costs? What else are they selling that they think will make them more money? New products to make the "smart grid." Google's position just doesn't add up.
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