Google helping homeowners get solar power

From Digital Trends

more>>

Pizza on Mars: NASA funds development of 3D printer that can knock out pizza

NASA has awarded a mechanical engineer a grant worth $125,000 to help him create a 3D printer for food.

How to stay anonymous online

Pretty soon, just about everything we do on the Web will be logged, analyzed, and used for things outside of our control. Here are some ways to help stop that.

Six tips to bombproof your password

How can we make our passwords more hack-resistant and manage all the passwords we need?

Facebook cuts off Social Roulette

True to its name, Social Roulette is a game of roulette in which you're gambling your digital life. After giving the app permissions, you then take a one-in-six chance of letting it delete your Facebook account.

7 bizarre Airbnb rentals that are almost too weird to believe

Weird accommodation options are part of Airbnb's charm, so we'd like to propose seven current listings that should be verified immediately.

Will a spotless inbox really supercharge your productivity?

Inbox Zero is the theory that an empty e-mail inbox is good for peace of mind and productivity. So is it?

Best iPhone 5 accessories

When it comes to iPhone 5 accessories, the options just keep on coming, and there are a lot of little extras that can really improve your experience.

Man arrested after selling his grandson on Facebook

Facebook is basically integrated into every part of our lives. You use it to catch up on friends' lives, meet people, find events, message people but it's also a place where people go to sell live human babies online.

Scan these smart pajamas to launch a bedtime story for the kids

Using the camera on a smartphone or tablet, a parent or child can scan one of forty-seven dot patterns printed on kids pajamas to launch a story.

There was no White House bombing; AP's Twitter hacked

If you're wondering why the Associated Press tweeted that there was an explosion at the White House, it's because its account was hacked.

By Jeff Hughes
Provided by

Google has been making some significant green efforts over the years. The search giant's latest contribution to renewable energy is a second investment in residential solar. Google announced it would be setting aside $75 million to help homeowners hook into the power of the sun, making the company's total contribution pile to clean energy a whopping $850 million.

The search giant has teamed up with Clean Power Finance to create a fund with that $75 million which will help 3,000 homeowners make the transition to solar. Rick Needham, Director of Green Business Operations, pointed out on the Google Green Blog that the initial costs of solar installation can be daunting to homeowners. Google will be providing the system to homes across the country for no cost—something that typically costs $30,000 to $40,000.

The idea is that once home's are hooked up with solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, it will be cheaper and cleaner than drawing electricity from the grid. Homeowners will agree to buy back the power generated by the installed panels (which they won't own) at a fixed monthly rate, which will most likely be cheaper than their current rate. The rate also covers maintenance. Google will own the panels, the power inverters—all the hardware, though the company won't be stamping its brand on the assets.

Google will be using Clean Power Finance to connect to solar installers across the country. Installers in Clean Power Finance will take care of maintenance and performance. Installers will build the system, and in turn help build their business, though Google's investment entitles it to ownership of the system.

Google's first foray into residential solar was a $280 million investment in SolarCity. Google also invested $100 million in a wind farm project earlier this year, and $168 million in a solar tower plant.