Force Change

Google, which announced back in November that it would be investing millions of dollars in the pursuit of renewable energy sources that would be cheaper than coal, recently joined a major round of financing for BrightSource Energy. The $115 million round of financing will go towards developing and growing BrightSource’s solar thermal business (the process where solar panels focus the sun’s heat on a liquid, turning it into steam, which is then used to turn a turbine which generates electricity).

Google, which used its philanthropic arm, Google.org, to make the investment, has more than just an investor’s interest in the development of renewable energy sources. Google’s network of computers and servers use a tremendous amount of energy. As the cost of energy increases, so does the cost of operating Google’s business. This has created a unique situation where the private interests of a massive corporation have aligned with the greater good. Fortunately, Google has a track record of innovation and accomplishment, which bodes well for the future of renewable energy.