back to article Google seeks to become energy trader

As it continues to expand its own private internet, Google has asked US energy regulators for the right to buy and sell power on the wholesale market - just as a utility would. Last month, the search giant cum world power created a subsidiary dubbed Google Energy, and the outfit has now applied (PDF) with the US Federal Energy …

COMMENTS

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Hey! Google!

    What about the UK?

    (Don't let the gollum influence your decisions though.)

  2. Eeep !
    Big Brother

    Guarenteye in the network ?

    Southern Electric informed me just before Xmas that the electricity meter might stop recording correctly once 16777 units was reached and cause me to be overcharged. Great, so within 14 days average use I'll be overcharged.:( Then the snow starts :(

    16777 units has been reached and yes there's a problem. Lucky I've been monitoring units for over a year so there's trend to show it's not a free for all on my bill.

    Would "Google personal power", or whatever, test their meters better ?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Big Brother

    Nothing but cost cutting

    Simple bit of cost cutting for them, buy wholesale and sell it back to themselves at cost price. Forget retailing it out to everyone else though as this just smells of lowering the costs for the data centres, but a good way of doing it though. As for the use of renewables pfft, doubtful. More about shareholder back pockets it seems.

    1. timisis.com
      Paris Hilton

      Illegal cost cutting!

      this is purely about tax evasion and surely the regulator will see through this. As we know for quite a long time the largest part of electricity bills in the west has been energy taxes, more or less at the same ridiculous level for petrol (up to 90%). Now, it would be kinda weird if there was an energy business that was producing no net output of electricity, namely producing as much as it was consuming, it would be a loss making business. But what if, all that electricity was feeding google, untaxed! In any case, the regulator will need some bright people to think how they are going to handle the emerging "micro grid" with multitudes of smaller producers in a way that the tax and subsidy policies are not abused. In the fragmented US market, it could be an impossibility, meaning some smart business people will find a way to pick the low-hanging dollars.

      After Google, it could well be Paris

  4. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge
    Pint

    Better Late than Never to AI Beta 42 Power Controls for there is a Lot to Learn

    ..... in Order 42 Earn Real Wealth rather than Ponzi Lolly/Flash $tash.

    Err ... would that by any chance be Intellectual Property Energy aka NEUKlearer HyperRadioProActive IT? A Blithe [as in Stealthy Astute] Blighty Boffinry Source of Lode Code for Immaculate Drivers and Operating System Controllers?

    Something which is already Up and Running and Trading on El Reg, as one can remind oneself with a glance on Registered posts here .... http://tinyurl.com/LaunchdDay ... and here .... http://tinyurl.com/EMPowerControls. ....... but that of course is just a snippet of what is developed, and developed obviously quite sublimely, if of course, Google would be now be entering the Market, and late to the Party?

    Welcome, ..... Come on on in, and meet the UKGBNI Crowd in ITs Clouds. What kept you? Here, have a Cool Beer, IT's All Free Here for Everything is Shared and Madly Spent as if Money is going out of Fashion, for where is the Power without ITs Currency Flow to Generate Potential in Venture Capital and Interest to Investors/Virtual Non-State Actors/Sovereign Wealth Players in the Great Game and Gaming in Live Operational Virtual Environments.

  5. slooth
    Stop

    Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

    Google to world: "All your base are belong to us"

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    Let me guess -

    They're going to call it Genron?

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    google = skynet?

    oh my, just another way for skynet , I mean google, to push me into using their network . . . and advertise to me and sell my data?

    paris as she loves assimilation as much as anyone, except maybe borgs ;-)

  8. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Coat

    Genron. Of course not.

    Gpower OTOH might be a future brand.

    Seriously with Walmart being based in Arkansas, the Hog capital of the US what about all the power from all that pig slurry? At least 50% of all Methane is available for power generation (is there a Methane fuel cell?) and waste heat.

    Mine's the one with "Anerobic digestion for Dummies" and "Deliverance" in the side pockets.

  9. Ricky H
    FAIL

    it's a trap

    carbon pfff

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