Google has announced its first ever renewable energies investment in Africa, putting $12m (103 million Rand) in the Jasper Power Project, a 96 megawatt solar photovoltaic plant in South Africa. Once it’s complete, the Jasper Power Project will be among the largest solar installations in Africa, and it could generate enough electricity to power 30,000 South African homes. Google has been building a track record in renewable energy-investments across the US and Europe. Recently, it has put $75m in a wind farm in Iowa and, well, $200m in another wind farm in Texas. In 2012 alone, the Internet giant claims to have ploughed $1b into the industry, and Last month, Google outlined plans for utilities to offer renewable power to companies, an initiative that kicked off with its Lenoir data center.
