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Google parent pulls the plug on power-generating kite project:
Google-parent Alphabet is shutting down its power-generating kites company Makani, the first closure of a so-called moonshot project since founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin stepped back from management in December.
Sundar Pichai, who took over as Alphabet chief executive, is under pressure to stem losses from the company's "Other Bets" segment, which includes endeavors such as self-driving cars and Internet-providing balloons. Other Bets lost $4.8 billion last year—widening from a $3.4 billion loss in 2018.
Makani was acquired in 2013 and taken into the experimental "X" lab. It was developing airborne wind turbines that could be tethered to floating buoys, removing the need for the expensive ocean bed structures needed to support permanent turbines.
"It's been a very hard choice for us," said Astro Teller, chief executive of X, speaking to the Financial Times on Tuesday.
"Our estimate of the rewards for the world, the reward to Alphabet, and the risks and costs to get there... they change over time. It's part of my job to assess that and make sure that we're picking the best ones we can for Alphabet to spend its money on."
Alphabet would not confirm the size of Makani, only saying it consisted of "dozens" of employees that it hoped it could be reassigned to other climate change-related work at Alphabet. A small team will stay on for a few months to collate Makani's research.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 23 2020, @01:39AM (8 children)
Since the environment has no data that can be monetized for advertising, Google does not care. In fact, the amount of carbon dioxide generated to power Google's data centers is so high that it would make St Greta the Grumpy spin in her grave.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 23 2020, @01:50AM
I think someone beat them to it.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 23 2020, @01:55AM (2 children)
But Alphabet decided the opportunity to greatly disrupt the energy sector had begun to dwindle. While Makani at first felt it could provide a competitive advantage by using its technology on land and in shallow water—as well as deep water—advancements in competing technologies meant that was likely no longer the case.
“That’s very sad for Makani,” Teller said. “But it’s really great for the world.”
(Score: 2) by legont on Sunday February 23 2020, @03:11AM (1 child)
So, can somebody else do this or is it dead in Google's patent coffers?
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Sunday February 23 2020, @03:34AM
Didn't some old white guy flying a kite in a storm have prior art for capturing electricity with a kite?
… and that many of those who tried to duplicate his discovery ended up a bit … dead?
Must be fun splurging on ideas that were obviously bad just to get tax deductions.
SoylentNews is social media. Says so right in the slogan. Soylentnews is people, not tech.
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by Ethanol-fueled on Sunday February 23 2020, @02:28AM (3 children)
Well, you know these kinds of programs aren't about energy or the environment but about sucking up data. And when you're already sucking up everybody's data, you need to look for untapped markets. And giving Obamaphones and free internet to the Oogaboogas in Africa is a good way to do this.
The kites were only a means to an end, not meant to generate power for the environment but for base stations providing free Obamaphone internet. Except what they didn't tell you about why this project was cancelled is because the Africans kept shooting the kites down during the trial.
(Score: 0, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 23 2020, @02:45AM (1 child)
But your typical African muslim has no money, having spent his meager savings on AK-47 rounds, so why would Google be interested?
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by Ethanol-fueled on Sunday February 23 2020, @02:59AM
Well, if you'd bothered to read my post, you would have known that the Obamaphones and data plans would have been free to them. But there were other problems besides the kites being shot down. First of all, Africans don't read news or have the money or bandwidth to download Hollywood trash and buy apps. Which leaves porn, but why watch porn on a smartphone when you can rape with no consequences?
Some ideas are just ill-conceived at birth, such as the idea the Democratic party had in that courting Mexicans and other criminals sounded like a good idea at the time.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 23 2020, @07:07PM
/\ This guy actually practices being stupid. It's some kind of a badge of honour to him.