Google Energy Obtains Rights to Buy and Sell Electricity

Google Energy is authorized to buy and sell electricity in the U.S.

Are you ready to make your monthly utility check out to Google?  Though admittedly far-fetched, the idea is within the realm of possibilities due to an order issued last week by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Google Energy – a subsidiary of Google – was granted “market-based rate authorization,” which allows the company to purchase and sell power like any other utility.  The decision helps advance Google’s stated desires to become a carbon-neutral company and obtain more control over its energy costs by gaining better access to affordable renewable energy.

Going green at Google is part of its corporate culture, as shown in the video below.  In addition, Google hosted an energy conference in November 2009, leading up to the Copenhagen summit on climate change, and has produced the successful thermal solar energy start-up eSolar from its Google Idealab.

It should come as no surprise that it takes a lot of power to run operations of the Internet search engine giant.  Google’s ability to trade in the wholesale electricity market will be a significant step to reducing its carbon emissions and accessing the highest quality, most inexpensive renewable energy on the market.

Whether Google takes the order a step further and eventually enters the utility market is anyone’s guess.  But Google is not ruling out the possibility.  And with the successes and forward green-thinking at the company, neither should we.