Case Study

Name: Longfei Ren

Student ID: 10242172

Philosophy 484

Google and the ethics of green investment

Open Statement:

The main questions that are asked are if Google’s investments in green technology are ethically consistent with their founders’ statements on Google’s mission? And does Google have any particular duty to make or to refrain from making these sorts of investments? In my opinion, Google’s investment in green technology is ethically consistent with founders’ statements, and Google does have specific duty to make green investment.

Analysis:

A. List up to ten key facts

1. Google invested in million dollars in Startup Company via Google. Org. It also invested another 168 million Ivanpah in Californian’s Mojave Desert, which is Google’s first utility-scale solar project.

2. In addition to Google’s 1.7 MW solar array, Google have incorporated other forms of renewable energy into its corporate campuses.

3. In September 2012, Google signed an agreement with the Grand River Dam Authority to supply Google’s Oklahoma data center, with over 48 MW of wind

4. Google said it expected to spend “tens of millions on research and development and related investments in renewable energy.

5. Google said it invested over $850 million in the renewable energy sector, but only 30 million dollars of which come through RE<C (Google Green, 2012).

B. Explain vital background information relevant to resolving the issue.

Google used renewable energy to power over 30 percent of its operations. They used new, innovative technology at their offices and purchased green power close to their data center. Google piloted new technologies on their own turf, putting their campuses on the cutting edge of renewable energy use. Google tried many different forms of renewable energy into their corporate campuses. They also purchased clean energy and green power and invested in several projects like “spinning spur wind farm,” “Solar City” or “Alta Wind...