Meta Acquires Entire Solar Energy Output from $900 Million Solar Venture for Powering American Data Centers
Meta, the social media giant, has announced a significant partnership with Enbridge, a leading North American energy company, to build a 600 MW solar facility in Texas. This project, named Clear Fork, is part of Meta's ambitious plan to add 9.8 GW of renewable energy to local grids in the U.S. by the end of 2025, and to reach net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2030.
Urvi Parekh, Head of Global Energy at Meta, expressed her excitement about the partnership, stating, "We are thrilled to partner with Enbridge to bring new renewable energy to Texas." The Clear Fork solar facility is expected to power Meta's data center operations, supporting the company's operations with 100% clean energy.
Enbridge, the owner of the energy company involved in the project, has made a final investment decision on the Clear Fork project, with an estimated cost of approximately $900 million. The project is currently under construction and is scheduled to enter service during the summer of 2027.
The Clear Fork solar facility is located near San Antonio, making it one of the Texas-based clean energy deals by Meta. This project demonstrates the growing demand for renewable power across North America from technology and data center companies.
Beyond the Clear Fork project in Texas, Meta has committed to several other large-scale renewable energy purchases. For instance, the company has agreed to two major solar projects with AES Corporation, totaling 650 MW in Texas and Kansas, supporting Meta’s AI and cloud operations.
Meta has also signed a 791 MW renewable energy deal with Invenergy, including four projects: 300 MW Yellow Wood Solar (Ohio), 140 MW Pleasant Prairie Solar (Ohio), 155 MW Decoy Solar (Arkansas), and 196 MW Seaway Wind (Texas). These wind and solar projects are scheduled to come online between 2027 and 2028 and will contribute to Meta’s net-zero emissions goal by 2030.
In summary, Meta’s large-scale renewable deals span multiple states and energy providers, including AES, Enbridge, and Invenergy, with combined capacity of nearly 2,000 MW or more beyond the Clear Fork project alone. Meta achieved its goal to meet 100% of its operational energy needs with renewable sources in 2020, and these recent investments further solidify its commitment to a sustainable future.
[1] Meta Press Release, "Meta Announces New Renewable Energy Deals to Support Data Center Operations," 2022. [2] Enbridge Press Release, "Enbridge Announces Final Investment Decision for Clear Fork Solar Project," 2022. [3] Invenergy Press Release, "Invenergy to Develop 791 MW of Renewable Energy Projects for Meta," 2022. [4] AES Press Release, "AES and Meta Announce Partnership to Develop 650 MW of Renewable Energy Projects," 2022.
Technology plays a crucial role in Meta's pursuit of net-zero emissions, as the company's ambition to power data center operations with 100% clean energy underscores its reliance on renewable power sources. This reliance on technology is evident in Meta's expanding portfolio of large-scale renewable energy projects across various states, partnering with providers such as Enbridge, AES, and Invenergy.
