一位能源业知名顾问透露，谷歌(Google)和微软(Microsoft)正考虑投资英国海上风力发电场的可能性，这是其“绿色”用电战略的一个组成部分。
Google and Microsoft are looking at possible investments in offshore wind farms in Britain, as part of their strategy to “green” their electricity use, a leading adviser to the energy industry has said.
对于海上风力发电行业来说，由于传统的融资渠道崩溃，大型跨国公司和其它新投资者的投资兴趣成为了该行业的生命线。
Interest from large multinationals and other investors new to the offshore wind business is holding out a lifeline for an industry hit by a collapse in traditional sources of finance.
美国银行美林(Bank of America Merrill Lynch)欧洲电力主管约翰·林奇(John Lynch)表示，“在不太遥远的将来，”如果渴望减少其二氧化碳排放的IT企业要投资欧洲海上风力发电行业，他“不会感到惊讶”。
John Lynch, the head of power for Europe at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said he “would not be surprised” if information technology companies keen to cut their carbon dioxide emissions were to invest in European offshore wind “in the not too distant future”.
谷歌和微软均拒绝就其未来可能的投资计划发表评论，但投身海上风力发电的做法，符合他们降低成本、减少电力消耗对环境影响的战略。
Google and Microsoft both refused to comment on possible future investment plans, but a commitment to offshore wind would fit with their strategies to reduce the cost and environmental impact of their electricity consumption.
谷歌在美国已投入数千万美元，用于研究可再生能源。微软则一直在采取各种措施，降低其电力消耗，比如将新的欧洲“大型数据中心”设在都柏林，以利用当地气候寒冷的优势，减少对机械冷却的依赖。
Google has invested tens of millions of dollars into renewable energy research in the US. Microsoft has been taking steps to cut its power consumption, for example by siting its new European “mega data centre” in Dublin, taking advantage of the cold climate to reduce the need for mechanical cooling.
行业刊物New Power的多米尼·麦克雷恩(Dominic Maclaine)表示：“数据中心的服务器耗电量巨大，因此互联网公司越来越希望确保它们购买的电力被认为是‘绿色'的，这是可以理解的。”
Dominic Maclaine of New Power, an industry journal, said: “Data centre servers have significant power needs, and it is understandable that internet firms are increasingly keen to ensure that the power they buy is seen to be 'green'.”
英国政府要实现可再生能源发电占发电总量30%的目标，就必须大力发展海上风电。但金融危机的爆发，使得人们怀疑这些开发商能否筹集到估计高达1000亿英镑的资金。
A huge expansion of offshore wind power will be essential if the government is to hit its target of generating about 30 per cent of Britain's electricity from renewable sources, but the financial crisis has raised doubts about whether developers will be able to raise the estimated £100bn of investment.