After revolutionizing Internet search, Google’s philanthropic arm is now poised to significantly invest in renewable energy [ark | more\ark]. Google seeks to commercialize large scale solar energy at a price that is competitive to coal — specifically to demonstrate it is possible to produce one gigawatt of renewable energy, enough to power San Francisco. The “Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal” project will initially focus investments in the tens of millions on advanced solar thermal power [search]; and then move into wind power technologies, enhanced geothermal systems and other new technologies with large hundred million dollar investments seeking “breakthrough renewable energy projects which generate positive returns”. This is a fantastic approach. Climate change solutions MUST focus upon ending coal carbon emissions [search] and competitive renewable energy systems of scale. By way of disclosure, Climate Ark is a grant recipient of Google.org, receiving in-kind significant amounts of free advertising.