Windfarm should stand for Google's electricity supply - Swedish Dagbladet

sökjätten met a ten-year agreement with the Nordic wind developer O2 and the German insurance company Allianz, according to a joint press release from the three companies.

Google will buy all the electricity generated in the next ten years from the new wind farm to be built in Maevaara, on the border between Övertorneå and Pajala. Wind agreement means that Google can push its data center in Hamina in southern Finland on renewable electricity.

– As a carbon neutral company, we look for new ways to increase the share of renewable energy that we use, said Urs Hoelzle responsible for the technical infrastructure at Google.

He adds:

– This long-term agreement, our fourth globally, will enable us to pursue our Finnish data center with clean electricity while adding new wind capacity to the European grid.

It was in September 2011, Google opened its new data center in Hamina, southern Finland, on the Gulf of Finland. Previously, the facility served as a forestry giant Stora Enso pulp mill. The data center was recognized in particular for its innovative cooling system that uses seawater from just the Gulf, was the first of its kind and very energy efficient.

Using agreement with Google has wind developer O2 secured a 100 per cent finance for the construction of the new wind farm from the German insurance company Allianz, it is clear from the joint press release. The project includes 24 turbines with a capacity of 72 megawatts.

It has already granted relevant permits and licenses and the construction will begin in the coming months. When the wind farm is fully operational in two years takes Allianz over ownership. O2, however, will continue to manage the wind farm commercially and technically through a separate agreement.

– Google’s decision to purchase the entire production of electricity from wind park in Maevaara for its Finnish data center was a key factor in our decision to invest in the project, said David Jones, head of renewable energy at the Allianz.

He says Maevaara is the German company’s first investment in renewable energy in Sweden. He represents wind power agreement as an interesting business model for future wind power investment in this market.

Maevaara wind farm is planned to be built in an area between the villages Ohtanajärvi and Suaningi, Pajala and Aapua, Övertorneå in Norrbotten. The forestry company Sveaskog alone landowners in establishing the area, according to information on O2′s website.

Google has previously revealed the energy consumed to utilize various services. For example, one year’s use of Gmail is equivalent to 1.2 kilograms of carbon dioxide consumption. Three days of constant playing Youtube equivalent to 3 kilograms of carbon dioxide consumption.

What do you know about raw materials and energy?