CA: Alternative Energy Resources

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - APRIL 15: A Google employee checks the photovoltaic panels on one of six solar powered buildings on April 15, 2008 in Mountain View, California. The Google campus has numerous green buildings designed for minimum power usage that helps reduce the company's carbon footprint. The campus has one of the largest corporate solar installations in the world which produces 1.6 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 1000 homes. 9,212 solar photovoltaic panels cover rooftops of 6 buildings and 2 carports. The electricity produced offsets nearly 30% of peak electricity consumption for those buildings. The system, switched on in mid-2007, will pay for itself in approximately 7.5 years. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)