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Facebook’s dirty little secret: Coal-powered data center

Posted Feb 9th, 2010 at 1:41 PM and seen 7032 times

Earth-loving Facebookers could have their hemp panties in a bunch over word that the world’s most popular social networking site has opted for coal to power its new Oregon-based data center. Rather than tap into the plethora of renewable energy sources in Oregon, Facebook decided to use a coal plant in Idaho because of cost issues. Coal power offers incremental price increases not available with more Mother Nature-friendly energy options like hydropower. No word if Mark Zuckerberg has started driving a gas-guzzling Hummer to work now too.

Full story at Tree Hugger.

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 Annie Colbert

Comments (5)

Feb 09, 2010
brianaleclaire said...
"Idaho" and "coal power" don't belong in the same sentence. We're all hydro. Please recheck http://bit.ly/bbxn2K
Feb 10, 2010
Chris said...
Non-factor. Let's make a big deal over nothing. Meh.
Feb 10, 2010
Dennis said...
They will use power from the Boardman Coal Plant in Oregon.
Feb 10, 2010
Amy said...
By contrast, Google built one of its data centers next to a river for hydro power, and has installed solar all over its campuses.
Feb 10, 2010
Garrett said...
Your analogy about the Hummer is not even close to relevant. As you say, the reason for choosing coal power had to do with COST. Driving a Hummer would not be cost-effective, no matter how you look at it. The only similarity there is that neither are "environmentally-friendly", which is a weak basis for such a comparison, given the completely different reason that you state for their choosing coal power.

Besides, the only people who care are those who still believe the earth is being killed by CO2. The article you link to, not surprisingly, says that coal is the #1 reason for "climate change" (which I assume refers to their CO2 output). I've got news for you: the #1 "greenhouse gas" is water vapor, not CO2. CO2 makes up an infinitesimally small amount of the atmosphere, so I'm not real worried about it.

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