Google to become green utility

Google's growing interest in the energy sector has been confirmed as a new subsidiary of the company has lodged a request with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that it be allowed to buy and sell electricity on the wholesale market, reports Computing.co.uk.

The search giant created a Delaware-based company, called Google Energy, on 16 December last year, and the Federal Register has revealed the firm had been named in a formal request to FERC, the federal agency that oversees the US grid.

The move has prompted speculation that Google could one day move into the energy utility market, providing low-carbon electricity to its customers.

Greenpeace has awarded Apple four giant gold stars for its efforts to rid its products of brominated flame retardants and polyvinyl chloride, states Ars Technica.

Apple received a large gold star, the highest rating Greenpeace gave out, in each of the four categories rated in its latest report: desktops, portables, cellphones, and displays.

Of the six companies with products in all four categories, Apple was the only one to receive a large gold star in any category. Dell, Lenovo, Samsung, and LGE received only one small gold star each.

This year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) sported an expanded showcase for green-oriented gadgets, says CNET News.

Behind the barrage of wall-to-wall TVs and mobile devices, one could find 'eco-products' from familiar suppliers, such as Panasonic, Sanyo, Toshiba, Philips, and LG. In the technology-themed areas, such as the wireless Zigbee zone, there were displays for managing home energy or more fuel-efficient driving.

Green technologies are clearly still on the periphery of the sprawling consumer electronics business, but brand-name manufacturers say they are innovating more around energy and environmental sustainability, driven both by regulations and economic interests.