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Over the 10 years of its existence, Google has emerged as the model that other companies try to emulate. They have developed the leading search engine in the world, Adwords, Adsense, and several other programs that are groundbreaking. In addition to their work in pioneering the way we use the internet, they are branching out to other areas. Recently, Google announced that they are entering into a strategic partnership with GE.

What exactly does this partnership entail? Both companies believe that our world is facing severe energy problems. They believe that something must be done to combat them and they have the power to do it. With the cooperation of both companies’ resources, they will try to change the way we manufacture and use energy.

Their work will help to change the generation, transmission, and distribution of energy in the U.S. They refer to this method as the “smart grid”. Some of their goals include giving customers energy choices such as driving a plug-in car, or saving energy costs at home. They will be lobbying for several key policy changes in Washington that will affect the way we use energy.

They want to utilize renewable energy sources more efficiently and give consumers more choices. Helping end users utilize the energy that they pay for more effectively is also at the top of their list. If users of resources could cut down on the amount of resources that they waste, billions of dollars could be saved each year. This is at the top of the Google/GE alliance’s priority list.

Google and GE are prepared to put significant investments into this project. One of the first projects that Google and GE will work on is Enhanced Geothermal Systems or EGS. EGS is a technology that will enable a large-scale renewable energy source all over the world. The implications of this project alone could change the way we get energy. In addition to being cost-effective, it would be better for the environment.

In addition to this project they are working on software and technology that will enable plug-in cars to have access to the “smart grid”. This will allow more electric cars to be on the roads and cut down on oil dependence.

Besides these projects, Google and GE will work together to change existing policy in Washington. Many of the policies in our current system help to prevent the advancement of technology that could help our energy problems. With the help of Google, these policies may eventually fall by the wayside. When they do, it will mean a cleaner environment and better energy for us all.

Overall, the Google and GE alliance is a fantastic partnership that has big possibilities. Any time two giants of their respective industries collaborate, many possibilities are present. Eventually, the landscape of the entire energy industry will be greatly changed because of it.
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