Google to Invest US East Coast Offshore Wind Farm Backbone

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Google recently invested in a $5 billion transmission line that will help offshore wind development on the eastern seaboard of USA. The internet giant and New York based investment firm God Energies will each contribute 37.5% of the total cost of the 350 mile line which will run from northern New Jersey to Delware to Virginia. Atantic Wind Connection (AWC) backbone is the name of the project. Tran-elect, an electric power transmission company is going to manage the project. So, the question arises why Google invested to the project. It is well known fact that the company is already looking for alternative cheap data source for its robust Datacenters.

According to New York Times, the first phase of construction will cost about $1.8 billion and it will start on a 150-mile span from New Jersey to Rehoboth Beach, Del. The project is going to be ready in 2016. The company further said that this type of project is good business because it is good for the environment. The transmission line will let wind farms to  bring wind onshore without having to install their own large transmission projects. The hope is that it will lower the cost and the venture will start looking more attractive to investors.