Google signs 20-year deal to power data centers with wind energy
By Donald Melanson 
posted July 20th 2010 3:45PM
posted July 20th 2010 3:45PM
NextEra Energy Resources signs PPA with Google Energy to supply wind power
JUNO BEACH, Fla. – NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, the competitive energy subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) and North America's leading generator of wind power, today announced that it has entered into a power purchase agreement with Google Energy, LLC. Google Energy will purchase 114 megawatts of clean, renewable energy from NextEra Energy Resources' Story II Wind Energy Center in operation in Story and Hardin counties in Iowa.
"We are thrilled to welcome Google Energy to our growing list of customers and appreciate their support of emission-free, renewable energy," said Mike O'Sullivan, senior vice president of development for NextEra Energy Resources. "With the support of customers like Google Energy, we've built our wind fleet from fewer than 500 megawatts a decade ago to more than 7,600 megawatts – the largest fleet in North America today."
The 150-megawatt Story II Wind Energy Center began operation in December 2009. Power deliveries to Google Energy will begin on July 30, 2010. The remaining 36 megawatts from the Story II Wind Energy Center are currently being sold to the city of Ames, Iowa.
NextEra Energy Resources is no stranger to Iowa. The company currently has nearly 700 wind turbines in operation in Iowa with a nameplate capacity of more than 1,000 megawatts that are capable of generating enough power to serve more than 250,000 average homes.
NextEra Energy Resources now has more than 9,000 wind turbines in operation at 77 wind farms in 17 states and Canada. The company's North American wind fleet avoided approximately 14 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2009, which is the equivalent of removing approximately 2.4 million cars from the road, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's carbon-equivalency calculator.
NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources, LLC is a clean energy leader and one of the largest competitive energy suppliers in North America. A subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), NextEra Energy Resources is the largest generator in North America of renewable energy from the wind and sun. It operates clean, emissions-free nuclear power generation facilities in New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin as part of the NextEra Energy nuclear fleet, which is the third largest in the United States. NextEra Energy had 2009 revenues of more than $15 billion, nearly 43,000 megawatts of generating capacity, and more than 15,000 employees in 28 states and Canada. For more information, visit www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
JUNO BEACH, Fla. – NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, the competitive energy subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) and North America's leading generator of wind power, today announced that it has entered into a power purchase agreement with Google Energy, LLC. Google Energy will purchase 114 megawatts of clean, renewable energy from NextEra Energy Resources' Story II Wind Energy Center in operation in Story and Hardin counties in Iowa.
"We are thrilled to welcome Google Energy to our growing list of customers and appreciate their support of emission-free, renewable energy," said Mike O'Sullivan, senior vice president of development for NextEra Energy Resources. "With the support of customers like Google Energy, we've built our wind fleet from fewer than 500 megawatts a decade ago to more than 7,600 megawatts – the largest fleet in North America today."
The 150-megawatt Story II Wind Energy Center began operation in December 2009. Power deliveries to Google Energy will begin on July 30, 2010. The remaining 36 megawatts from the Story II Wind Energy Center are currently being sold to the city of Ames, Iowa.
NextEra Energy Resources is no stranger to Iowa. The company currently has nearly 700 wind turbines in operation in Iowa with a nameplate capacity of more than 1,000 megawatts that are capable of generating enough power to serve more than 250,000 average homes.
NextEra Energy Resources now has more than 9,000 wind turbines in operation at 77 wind farms in 17 states and Canada. The company's North American wind fleet avoided approximately 14 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2009, which is the equivalent of removing approximately 2.4 million cars from the road, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's carbon-equivalency calculator.
NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources, LLC is a clean energy leader and one of the largest competitive energy suppliers in North America. A subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), NextEra Energy Resources is the largest generator in North America of renewable energy from the wind and sun. It operates clean, emissions-free nuclear power generation facilities in New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin as part of the NextEra Energy nuclear fleet, which is the third largest in the United States. NextEra Energy had 2009 revenues of more than $15 billion, nearly 43,000 megawatts of generating capacity, and more than 15,000 employees in 28 states and Canada. For more information, visit www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
@nastro
then go do something about it
@nastro Given your supposed expertise then, how about you provide your credentials. A PhD physicist or mathematician, I presume? Any peer-reviewed work you'd like us to consider?
I don't think this article is worded correctly. Google didn't buy power to run it's own data centers. It bought the power to sell it.
Of course Yahoo kind of showed that one up.
Their data center opening in Lockport, NY (outside Niagara Falls) is powered through an agreement with the New York State Power Authority of course by hydroelectricity.
If you think that's cool... The brand new building cools itself off of Lake Erie (known best for Lake Effect snow in good old Buffalo, NY 20 minutes down the road) by using louvers to take in the cool air into the data center.
This is projected to save about 50% of its energy costs.
Hydro and a 50% energy savings?
Your move Google
Google is the best... NOt only the everything is free politic but also clean energy...This is the only company whi actually cares about the world needs
So now it's OK for Google to have a white background, it won't cost me anything, right? But will I be able to sync and charge my iPhone while using Google on my computer? And how will Google sell ads when it gives away the electricity?
Everyone seems to praise google for using wind farms, but not one person seems to address the issue with how many birds wind farms kill and how it negatively effects ecosystems more than nuclear power. I'm sure this has more to do with politics corporate benefits than it does with actually being good for the environment.
@schnoid No. Start at 4:52
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llIbjC49Fjs
@schnoid
Who cares about a handfull of birds? Environmentalists want sustainable energy, but get in the way of technological progress every step of the way. Solar farms can't be built cuz of turtles and beetles in the Mojave, wind farms can't be built cuz a few birds get pwned by blades? Guess you are ok with the pollution from oil/coal/natural gas killing wildlife. Get you priorities straight.
@mahut
Always nice to have things put in perspective.
@schnoid wait how does it kill birds? Do they like fly into it?...If so, Consider it survival of the (bird-who-didnt t-fly-into-something) Fittest
As long as there are no tax dollars to subsidize it, good news. Letting wind power compete on the open market is the surest way to guarantee long term investment and the advancement of the technology to profitability. Good job google!
Google's gone Greengle!
We need soooooo much more of this, thank you so much Google!
Google should just put their own reactor under their campus. No more power worries!
Way to go Google! And thank you engadget for tell us about it. We need more positive news stories like this. I am getting sick of the drama filled tech news, that seems to have dominated in recent months.
I use everything Google.(Except for my phone which is a Blackberry, on contract but will most definitely switch to Android when it's through.) I use a netbook, and have implemented Hexxa's Flow Chrome OS. Couldn't be happier! I haven't used an electronic product bought in a storefront in the longest time meaning no paper, shipping, and other electronic waste. Not only does that reduce my foot print, but now this! I will bow down to the almighty wisdom of Google!
That really looks like middle indiana off I-65. was going up to chicago and was blown away how many there were. couple hundred at least, maybe into the thousands.