I’ve used Hostgator as a web host for years. They’ve been cheap, nearly 100% reliable, very easy to contact and responsive when they do, and they keep sneakily increasing my allowable storage size and bandwidth without bothering to tell me.

I just went to see what my $10/mo is currently buying me. I learned 2 things:

• My storage space and bandwidth are now apparently unlimited. Seriously. So download those podcasts, by all means.
• Hostgator is now running on wind energy. So download those podcasts, by all means.

I learned last week (to my surprise) that Texas really is leading the country in wind power. And apparently Hostgator is buying Texas wind renewable energy credits in excess of its actual power consumption. Now, I’m always a little confused how these credits work: it’s not as if there’s a windmill somewhere that has it’s blades chained up and when you buy a credit they let it start turning. But I really really assume that this is genuinely good thing, and that this monitored and enforced and legitimate. In fact, the web site clearly states that it’s impossible to “ensure that only green electrons” reach you, and goes on to explain with box and arrow diagrams how it actually does all work, and I’m just going to admit: I’m confused and I just want to be beleive that I’m buying wind power.

The corporate blog has a post on the subject of the switch to alternative energy which raises some issues with alternative energy credits in web hosting, and promotes their version of project.

I find I am actually quite pleased that hughstimson.org is now (sort of, but possibly in a meaningful sense) wind powered.