NEW YORK: Google will invest heavily in a network of deepwater transmission lines to bring power from offshore wind farms, yet to be built, to states along the East Coast.
These transmission lines, which could cost up to US$5bil (RM16bil) over the next 10 years, would run as far as 32km) offshore from Virginia to New Jersey.
The initial phase of the project would be capable of delivering 2,000 megawatts of wind energy — enough to power about 500,000 homes.
Google will own more than a third of the project and has teamed up with other technology companies and investment firms to fund the rest.
In May, Google made its first direct investment in clean energy, buying a US$38.8mil (RM124mil) stake in two North Dakota wind farms.
Google has also been trying to rely on renewable energy sources for its datacentres, whose demands for power are increasing as the company sets up more computers in its bid to index all of the world’s online data. — AP
