Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Google's Gigawatt Gains Steam (GOOG)

From Motley Fool:

...Google (GOOG) can now go about stunning skeptics in other arenas. Take Big Goo's green energy initiative, for example.

Back in November, Google announced that it's getting into the renewable energy game. The "Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal," or REcoolly by my colleagues. I, however, saw an element to the endeavor that may give Google's gambit an edge. Aside from having a ridiculous bankroll, Google knows a thing or two about scalable solutions.

That's exactly what the company appears to have found with its investment in eSolar. The solar thermal start-up, which just raised an additional $130 million from Google.org, along with other investors, uses mirrors to heat a central water boiler and, in turn, power a steam turbine. Nothing new there. However, eSolar's heliostat mirrors are cheap, small (helping to reduce a project's footprint), and have software-driven sun-tracking capabilities. You knew computing had to enter the picture somewhere....MORE

Also see our post on Stirling yesterday, a cool Hundred Mil. from the guys who sold Airtricity. (What, an exit event?)