How Google Powers Its Monopoly With Enough Electricity For Entire Countries

Complex algorithms, software, and custom-built servers helped make Google into one of the world s richest and most-powerful corporations. But Google s business is wholly dependent on something more prosaic: electricity. Indeed, the Internet giant s kudzu-like growth has been fueled by massive quantities of juice. Last year, Google used about 12.4 terawatt-hours of electricity, which means it uses more electric power than entire countries, including ones like Sri Lanka and Zambia. If Google were an independent nation, its electricity use would rank among the top 90 countries in the world. Furthermore, Google s electricity use is doubling every three years or so.

In short, Google has become a vertically integrated information-electric utility. It gained near-total market dominance in search and advertising by controlling nearly every aspect of its business, including the ownership of its own fleet of electricity generators.

via www.forbes.com