Google goes geothermal

Google is apparently in discussions with an Israeli firm called Ormat Technologies, which already has a geothermal plant set up in the Nevada desert in the USA.

Geothermal energy, which harnesses energy generated by heat under the Earth's surface, from the atmosphere and from oceans, is becoming an ever popular alternative energy source.

It involves pumping water underground, leading to increased rock permeability, which therefore allows for the release of more heat.

Haaretz, an Israeli news daily, said both Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google's co founders, had visited the Ormat Nevada site recently, prompting speculation that a deal between the companies was in the pipeline.

In the past, Google has said it would commit one percent of all its profits to charitable and environmental causes though its Google.org portal.

The Search behemoth has also made grand sweeping statements recently about investing hundreds of millions of dollars in cleaner and renewable energy sources.

By acquiring or investing in Ormat's Geothermal technology, Google could well be on its way to adding another capital G to the word 'green'.

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