Step by step, Google is turning itself into an environment-friendly organization.

It was in 2007 when the Internet search giant first started going green. To promote sustainable development and environmental awareness, the company voluntarily took efforts to reduce its carbon emissions. By the end of 2009, Google formed its own energy subsidiary, Google Energy, followed by an announcement that it was to invest $38.8 million to NextEra Energy Resources’ wind energy project in North Dakota as its first investment in large scale clean energy projects.

More recently Google announced that it has completed a 20-year green Power Purchase Agreement, and plans to sell some of its acquired wind power back to the grid for Renewable Energy Certificates. With this move, the heavy-hitting company enters the energy market, solidifying its intent to promote sustainable, environmental solutions.

This has been a long time coming for Google, as so many other entities have already decided to join and back up the race for cost-effective, utility-scale renewable energy solutions. Considering the nature of the tech industry, which depends on vast amounts of electricity to keep services up and running, I believe Google’s move to go green may have a great impact on environmental efforts.

Wind power as a sustainable source of energy is by no means a new technology. Since men started putting sails on their ships, wind power has already been used. Typically, it is used in large scale wind farms to provide electricity to rural areas and other remote or far reaching locations. Several countries, such as Denmark, Spain, India and Portugal have already achieved high levels of wind power penetration.

Wind energy is touted as one of the most viable alternatives for energy resources because it is cheap, widely distributed and infinitely abundant. Utilizing wind energy will also significantly reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and help reduce carbon emissions.