By Ben Fox Rubin
Google Inc. continued to pour money into renewable technologies,
unveiling a new program with solar-panel maker SunPower Corp. to
provide financing to support about $250 million in residential
solar-lease projects.
Google is committing up to $100 million in the program and
SunPower is committing about $150 million.
About 20,000 Americans already lease solar power systems from
SunPower, and thousands more are expected to take part in the new
financing program, the companies said.
"We're pleased to team with SunPower to make solar power
accessible to more homeowners, and offer families a more effective
way to reduce their carbon footprint," said Kojo Ako-Asare, head of
corporate finance at Google.
The agreement represents Google's 16th renewable energy
investment and its third residential rooftop solar investment.
Google touts over $1 billion pumped into renewable projects,
ranging from wind farms in the Mojave Desert to a German solar
facility and a transmission line for wind farms off the
mid-Atlantic Coast. The Internet giant has also signed contracts to
buy hundreds of megawatts of renewable electricity for its data
centers.
Write to Ben Fox Rubin at ben.rubin@wsj.com
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