23 October 2009 | Author: O. Gaywood Media Optimiser

Google and Microsoft to invest in wind power?

Search rivals Google and Microsoft have reportedly shown interest in investing in wind farms in British waters, according to a leading adviser to the energy industry.

Neither company has so far commented on the plans suggested in the Financial Times. Google has made it a company policy not to comment on future investment opportunities, although it does have a history in environmentally friendly moves.

In August 2008, the Mountain View search agency made a $10m investment in geothermal technology - which uses underground heat to produce electricity - and in May this year it was report that Google was using goats to keep its back lawn in order.

Microsoft has also been looking to reduce its carbon footprint, recently setting up a data centre in cold, cold Dublin to reduce on the costs and implications of mechanical cooling.

Both companies have large data centres that consume vast amounts of electricity and in turn release greenhouse gases.

Dominic Maclaine of New Power, an industry journal, said: "Data centre servers have significant power needs, and it is understandable that internet firms are increasingly keen to ensure that the power they buy is seen to be 'green'."

The move for companies to buy into power creation is by no means unprecedented. BT, for example, has plans to invest £250m in building its own onshore wind farms with the capacity to generate 25% of its electricity by 2016.

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