A Greener Google

The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reports that Internet search giant Google has struck a 20-year deal to buy clean energy from NextEra Energy wind farm and at the same time enter the wholesale energy market.

According to the article, Google intends to buy 114 megawatts of wind generation at a fixed price each year from a NextEra facility in Iowa and sell the power back to the energy grid via the regional spot market.

There are several motivating factors. The move allows Google to protect itself from future increases in power prices while reducing its carbon footprint. Meanwhile, the arrangement gives the wind farm developer the financial certainty necessary for additional clean-energy projects.

The deal has been brokered under a new entity Google formed last year, Google Energy LLC.

What's wind energy got to do with talent management? More than you might think, actually.

By boldly increasing its commitment to sustainability, Google furthers its image as a concerned corporation. This brand enhancement is likely to garner attention from job seekers looking to work for a company with compatible values.

Granted, Google is already an employer of choice. But as it becomes greener, the company raises the bar a little bit higher for the competition.