In brief: Google initiates first renewable energy project in Asia

Since 2010, we’ve signed on to more than 30 solar and wind projects across the Americas and Europe, making us “the world’s largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy.” Today, we’re adding a fourth continent to our clean energy portfolio: Asia.

Source: Google

Google has signed a long-term agreement to purchase the output of a 10-megawatt solar array in Taiwan. The deal is in collaboration with the Taiwanese government as well as industry stakeholders like Diode Ventures, Taiyen Green Energy, J&V Energy, and New Green Power.

Taiwan’s recently amended Electricity Act allows non-utility companies to directly buy renewable energy and decrease their carbon footprints. “We’re the first corporate power purchaser to act on this renewables-friendly change to the law,” said Google in a statement.

According to the company, poles will be mounted into commercial fishing ponds to elevate 40,000 solar panels several feet into the sky. “This setup will maximize land-use efficiency and respect local ecology. It will also generate local economic benefits as Google will compensate the fishing community for hosting solar panels on the ponds,” it said.

The deal is also Google’s inaugural renewable project in Asia, which will be located 100 kilometers south of its Changhua County data center in Taiwan.