Meta (Facebook) signed on as offtaker for a 195 MW solar project in Texas, further establishing it as a top corporate purchaser of renewable energy. Its total solar procurement is approaching 4 GW.
Apex Clean Energy announced an environmental attribute purchase agreement with Meta (Facebook) for the full capacity of the 195 MW Angelo Solar project in Texas. The project is expected to support 100% of Meta’s regional operations with renewable energy.
Angelo Solar is expected to generate $31.7 million in tax revenue for the local community and at least $22 million in landowner payments. Approximately 400 jobs will be supported during construction. Angelo is slated to begin commercial operations in early 2024.
The partnership between the tech giant and utility-scale developer now exceeds 1 GW of renewables. Past projects include 80 MW with Altavista Solar; 200 MW with Aviator Wind East, part of the largest single-phase, single-site wind project in the United States; 175 MW with Lincoln Land Wind; 197 MW with Jayhawk Wind; and, most recently, 225 MW with Great Pathfinder Wind.
“We appreciate Apex’s partnership in helping us bring a total of one gigawatt of new renewable energy to the grid across Texas, Virginia, Illinois, Kansas, and Iowa,” said Urvi Parekh, head of renewable energy at Meta. “This new solar project will support our commitment to 100% renewable energy and will help bring jobs and investment to the local community.”
With over 3.6 GW of renewables installed through 2022, Meta remains the top corporate procurer of solar in the United States, growing its energy offtake by 380% since 2019. In early 2019 the social media giant had 177 MW of solar capacity contracted.
Microsoft will now jump from fifth-most solar procurement to second behind Meta as it announced a landmark 2.5 GW module purchase and project development plan with Qcells.
Corporate solar procurement is rising at a breakneck pace. Corporations in the United States have installed nearly 19 GW of on-site and off-site capacity, which doubles the amount that had been installed through 2019.
Recent growth is due to the expansion of off-site corporate solar procurement, which now represents 55% of all commercial solar use, said the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Almost 70% of all off-site corporate solar has been brought online since 2019.
Solar assets procured by corporations cumulatively generate enough electricity to power 3.2 million homes and offset 20.4 million metric tons of carbon annually.
Abigail Ross Hopper, president and chief executive officer of SEIA celebrated corporate adoption, saying it shows “the incredible flexibility of solar, whether it’s installed on a warehouse roof, on a carport or at an off-site facility.”
“From data centers to industrial freezers, the most energy-intensive business operations are turning to solar as the most reliable and affordable way to power their infrastructure,” said Hopper.
