Google Solar Panels: $80 Million To Build Six Clean Energy Facilities In California, Arizona

Between all its servers, barges, offices and labs around the world -- plus its massive complex in Mountain View, Calif. -- Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) requires a massive amount of energy for all the various facets of its business. Google has invested more than $1 billion in large-scale projects to produce clean energy, and announced Thursday its 14^th investment.

Google and KKR & Co. L.P. (NYSE:KKR) will invest nearly $80 million in Recurrent Energy to build six solar energy facilities in California and Arizona that aim to generate enough power for 17,000 homes.

The facilities will combine to produce 106 megawatts of power, about a sixth of the power generated by a traditional coal power station, according to Mashable.

Google and KKR previously invested $94 million in Recurrent in 2011 to build four solar facilities.

“These investments are all part of our drive toward a clean energy future, where renewable energy is abundant, accessible and affordable,” Kojo Ako-Asare, the Google’s head of corporate finance, wrote on the official Google blog. “By continuing to invest in renewable energy projects, purchasing clean energy for our operations and working with our utility partners to create new options for ourselves and for other companies interest in buying renewable energy, we’re working hard to make that future a reality.”