Search engine giant Google is set to convert its
California headquarters to run partly on solar power.
Google is aiming to eventually produce 30% of the power it needs
at its headquarters from the Sun.
The solar electricity system, to be constructed by El Solutions,
will have a total capacity of 1.6 megawatts. It is expected to be
the largest solar power installation on a business site in the US,
with 9,212 solar panels.
Most of the solar panels will go on the roof of the buildings
nicknamed “the Googleplex”, while others will be used to provide
shaded car parking spaces.
The search engine giant has not disclosed the cost of the
project, but believes future savings on energy bills will allow it
to recover the costs in five or ten years.
Google vice-president David Radcliffe urged other US businesses
to follow suit and adopt solar power, calling for “a lot of
copycats”.