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Google Announces $4.4 Trillion “Clean Energy 2030” Plan

Google

Today, Google announced the first version of Clean Energy 2030 – a proposal to significantly reduce U.S. fossil fuel use by 2030.  Clean Energy 2030 has been published on Google Knol and is open for comment.  Dr. Eric Schmidt, Google CEO and Board Chair, will also be discussing this plan at a talk he will be giving at The Commonwealth Club this evening.

The following are some highlights from the plan:

1. Goals

Reductions (from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s current baseline for energy use) in the following areas:

  • Fossil fuel-based electricity generation by 88%
  • Vehicle oil consumption by 38%
  • Dependence on imported oil (currently 10 million barrels per day) by 33%
  • Electricity-sector CO2 emissions by 95%
  • Personal vehicle sector CO2 emissions by 38%
  • US CO2 emissions overall by 48% (40% from today’s CO2 emission level)

2. Strategies

  • Deploying aggressive end-use electrical energy efficiency measures to reduce demand 33%.
  • Replacing all coal and oil electricity generation, and about half of that from natural gas, with renewable electricity, consisting of 380 gigawatts (GW) wind [300 GW onshore + 80 GW offshore], 250 GW solar [170 GW photovoltaic (PV) + 80 GW concentrating solar power (CSP)], and 80 GW geothermal [15 GW conventional + 65 GW enhanced geothermal systems (EGS)]
  • Increasing plug-in vehicles (hybrids & pure electrics) to 90% of new car sales in 2030, reaching 42% of the total US fleet that year
  • Increasing new conventional vehicle fuel efficiency from 31 to 45 mpg in 2030
  • Accelerating the turnover of the vehicle fleet from 19 to 13 years (resulting in 25 million new vehicle sales per year in 2030, a 31% increase over the baseline)

3. Cost

The projected cost of the Clean Energy 2030 plan would be $4.4 trillion (in undiscounted 2008 dollars) over the 22-year term of the plan.  However, the plan states that the savings would be $5.4 trillion, yielding an overall savings of $1.0 trillion during the course of the plan.

Google has been involved in a variety of clean energy initiatives (the links at the end of this post provide some examples).  Also, below is the keynote address delivered by Dr. Schmidt at the recent Corporate Eco Forum (CEF) Annual Meeting.  In this address Dr. Schmidt shares his perspective on a range of topics, including Google’s green initiatives and possible public and private sector strategies for addressing climate change.

For more information:

3 Replies to “Google Announces $4.4 Trillion “Clean Energy 2030” Plan”

  1. I wonder if I am the only one see some egoism in this plan as well? Google clearly states it invested $45M in clean energy startups and it is obvious that a national program is needed for them to work efficiently and earn some money. I believe that Google will also profit off these startups and their technologies if the plan is implemented, right?

  2. SvpmtechLabServices:
    eMAIL: svpmtech@gmail.com
    SILICON VALLEY PROJECTS MONITORING & TECHNOLOGIES:
    Clean Power Technologies:
    REF: Potential Oppurtunities for Google Energy Design Center at San jose City/Solar City Projects:
    Google should take the Lead in Development of Clean Power/Alternate Energy Power Business Incubators & Clean Energy Entrepreneurship Development Projects:
    POTENTIAL IMMEDIATE OPPURTUNITIES
    2008=2009-2010 : MIDDLE EAST/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COUNTRIES CLEAN ENERGY/ALTERNATE ENERGY /SOLAR PROJECTS : FOR ECONOMIC CITY/SOLAR TOWNS/ZERO EMMISSION PROJECTS AT ABU DHABHI
    REF:
    Trimble Research Park/San jose near San jose International airports expansion Evergreen Valley=San Jose Clean Power Business Incubator:
    Objectives:
    Engineering Design Services for software/Hardware-IT/PDA/Embedded Design/Digital Design for Clean Energy Projects:

  3. Dr. Duyen Nguyen – Symposium Chairperson
    http://aiche-norcal.org/Symposium/symposium2002.html
    Energy Symposium Organised by Dr Duyen Nguyen :Chair Person /Perry Mistry Symposium organising committe member at SRI International – Menlo Park, CA
    April 26, 2002 can ba very Good Guidelines for Fast Track Energy Projects/Renewable Energy Projects at San Jose-Solar City/Silicon Valley-San francisco Bay Area Region:
    =================================
    Symposium Committee:
    Duyen T. Nguyen (Chairperson)
    Ignacio Martinez
    Bipin C. Almaula
    Emmett R. Miller
    Neil Brown
    Kris Parimi
    David Cohen
    R. Maqbool Qadir
    Joe Fox
    Perry Mistry
    Tom Karis
    Manesh Shah
    Susan Leiby
    Ron Smith
    Barbara Heydorn
    40th Annual Symposium
    Meeting the Energy Needs of the New Millenium
    SRI International – Menlo Park, CA
    April 26, 2002
    8:00 am – 7:00 pm
    organized by
    American Institute of Chemical Engineers
    Northern California Section
    The symposium explores energy topics of current interest: roadmap for energy of the future, elements of proposed US energy policy, where we have been and where we will be with fossil fuels, the perspectives of nuclear power generation as experienced by France, contributions of renewable resources and technology advancements in fuel cells and solar cells. Affordable, reliable and sustainable energy is essential for continued growth and prosperity of all industries. Come and explore with us then energy landscape for today and the possibilities for the future.
    The speakers are:
    Henry Courtright (Electric Power Research Institute, Vice President)
    Hugh Guthrie (Department of Energy, Senior Technical Advisor)
    Jean-Claude Gauthier (Nuclear Division of the French Atomic Energy Commission, Deputy Director)
    Bob Simon (Senate Committee of Energy & Natural Resources, Staff Director)
    Lynn Billman (National Renewable Energy Laboratories, Senior Analyst)
    Richard Blieden (Uni-Solar, Director)
    Early registration is recommended as seating is limited. For more information, call 925-846-6314. To fax your registration, dial 925-846-6317.
    [Program] [Participants] [Registration] [Directions] [Accommodations]
    ——————————————————————————–
    “Meeting the Energy Needs of the New Millennium”
    Symposium Program
    Time
    Activity (click for abstract)
    Presenter (click for biography)
    8:00 am
    Registration and Refreshments
    AIChE Student Chapters
    8:30 am
    Welcome and Introduction
    Mr. Curt Carlson – Chief Executive Officer, SRI International
    8:45 am
    Achieving the Difficult Challenges
    Mr. Henry A. Courtright – Vice President, Electric Power Research Institute
    9:35 am
    PEM Fuel Cells – the “Power to Change the WorldÆ”
    Dr. Charles Stone – Vice President, Ballard Power Systems, Inc.
    10:25 am
    Break
    10:45 am
    The Place of Nuclear in Tomorrow’s Energy: The Future Nuclear Energy Systems
    Mr. Jean-Claude Gauthier – Deputy Director, CEA Nuclear Energy Division
    11:35 am
    Luncheon and Awards Presentation – Remarks on Norcal AIChE’s Activities
    Mr. Mac Qadir – Chairperson, Norcal AIChE
    12:35 pm
    An Energy Policy for the Future – Keynote Address
    Dr. Robert M. Simon – Staff Director of the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
    1:25 pm
    Student Awards Presentation
    Chemical Engineering Excellence Awards
    Mr. Jason Speck – RMT, Inc.
    Dr. Habib Amin – Envirotek Engineers
    2:00 pm
    A Perspective on Fossil Energy – Where We Are Now and Where We Expect to Be in the Future
    Mr. Hugh D. Guthrie – Senior Management and Technical Advisor, US Department of Energy
    2:50 pm
    Break
    3:10 pm
    Renewable Energy – The New Century is Here
    Ms. Lynn Billman – Senior Planner and Analyst, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
    4:00 pm
    The Contribution of Solar Photovoltaic Technologies to the Energy Needs of the New Millennium
    Dr. Richard Blieden – Director, Bekaert ECD Solar Systems LLC
    4:50
    Concluding Remarks
    Dr. Duyen Nguyen – Symposium Chairperson
    All Day
    Exhibit Booths
    Vendors
    ——————————————————————————–
    Sponsors:
    – ChevronTexaco
    Vendors Exhibit:
    – SRI Consulting Business Intelligence
    – CFD Research Corporation
    Symposium Committee:
    Duyen T. Nguyen (Chairperson)
    Ignacio Martinez
    Bipin C. Almaula
    Emmett R. Miller
    Neil Brown
    Kris Parimi
    David Cohen
    R. Maqbool Qadir
    Joe Fox
    Perry Mistry
    Tom Karis
    Manesh Shah
    Susan Leiby
    Ron Smith
    Barbara Heydorn
    Participating Organizations:
    – American Institute of Chemical Engineers
    – American Nuclear Society
    – Ballard Power Systems
    – French Atomic Energy Commission
    – ChevronTexaco
    – Electric Power Research Institute
    – National Renewable Energy Laboratories
    – Uni-Solar
    – US Department of Energy
    – US Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources
    – SRI International

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