Fridaygram: renewable energy, grabbing an asteroid, driverless car

JAN 11, 2013

By Scott Knaster, Google Developers Blog Editor

Running Google takes power, so we’ve long been interested in efficient and responsible power creation. This goes not just for energy we use, but also energy used by others. By investing in renewable energy, we hope to have positive effects on the environment as well as help further good business opportunities. This week we announced our investment in the Spinning Spur Wind Farm, a Texas wind farm. We’ve now invested in 11 renewable energy projects – and because we all like pictures and numbers, here are some statistics (click to enlarge):

Meanwhile, in space, NASA and the Keck Institute for Space Studies have proposed robotically capturing a small near-earth asteroid and bringing it to a lunar orbit by 2025. This relocated rock would give astronauts a chance to perform all sorts of tasks, including landings and scientific experiments, all without leaving the relatively close location of the moon’s orbit (read the full proposal here). The captive asteroid wouldn’t be much of a tourist destination, but could greatly advance space travel and science research.

Finally, when you have a few spare minutes this weekend, take a look at this video that shows what might happen as the world gets used to self-driving cars.

Happy 2013!

Each week on Fridaygram, we take time out from developer topics to present cool things from Google and elsewhere that you might have missed during the week. See, we like to have fun too.