I wonder if huge companies like Google or Amazon (or the ones that supplant them) will eventually buy (or build) solar or wind facilities to provide their own carbon-neutral energy, allowing them to control costs on their massive servers and such while providing a cleaner environment. And perhaps they could sell energy to others in the manner that they offer the cloud. A big dream, I know. From an Associated Press story about Microsoft purchasing power from a Texas wind farm:

“Houston — It takes a lot of energy to store all the data 1 billion people and 20 million businesses plug into their computers, phones, tablets and gadgets. So as part of an effort to become carbon neutral, Microsoft Corp. has entered a 20-year deal to buy power from a new wind farm in Texas, the first time the tech giant is directly purchasing electricity from a specific source. 

The deal announced Monday between Microsoft and RES Americas is being funded in part by money collected from a ‘carbon fee,’ an internal tax of sorts that the company has been charging its departments for every ton of carbon produced. Microsoft also hopes the deal will be a model for other parts of its global operations, said Brian Janous, Microsoft’s director of energy strategy.

As part of an effort to become carbon neutral, Microsoft has entered a deal to buy power from a new wind farm in Texas, the first time the tech giant is directly purchasing electricity from a specific source.

The vanilla wafers — for sale for years — have seen an uptick in sales following a campaign to connect with customers via Facebook and Twitter.

‘We’re definitely looking at this as a first of a kind, but it fits into our overall desire to have more control over our energy supply,’ Janous said.”