According to this post on Mashable (Google Buys 20 Years’ Worth of Wind Farm Energy), Google has just signed a contract with an Iowa wind farm to purchase clean energy at a set rate for the next 20 years. While this sets a strong example, certainly, I raise the economic question of how this affects prices for wind energy and renewable energy as a whole.

If the early adopters of renewable energies are largely wealthy companies and individuals, does this drive price (and the cost of adoption) up? And how does this affect access to these clean energies? Are the do-gooders actually creating an exclusive market and preventing wider adoption to take place? I have no idea — I’m certainly no expert in the field!

What are your thoughts?