RE: Google wants to completely run its data centers and offices on renewable energy in 2017

rmwaseem — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 23:59:44 GMT

Google can never be self-sufficient in energy either by solar or wind and most of its hunger for electricity demands use is to directly to cool its servers that dissipate a lot of heat. Now if they were building facilities near a running river water or use the water to transfer the latent heat and use it back to efficiently cool their computer servers or residential buildings nearby in city like some European countries have hot steam systems, maybe I would believe, then it may be possible. I have seen some other company uses the heat from its servers to heat its building occupants and thus overall they save substantial dollars in heating and cooling costs. If you look at Googles PUE metrics you will quickly realize they are not so much effective but somewhat better than any other out there regardless of their claim and how much they save.

RE: Google wants to completely run its data centers and offices on renewable energy in 2017

rscasny — Sun, 25 Dec 2016 16:04:16 GMT

I noticed this story in the Wall Street Journal, I believe, so I am really glad it was picked up by element14. I feel it is the most significant story of 2016. It underscores how energy-harvesting technologies have "grown up" and carbon producing technologies can be replaced. Given our oversupply of oil and the maturity of alternative energy producing technologies, one wonders why there is such an interest in producing more oil/coal-based energy sources. It may be there are more winning stories like this that are not getting the press they should. But the world is changing and at some point in time in the near future, stories like this will be the norm.