Facebook adds to solar spree with PPA for Utah data centre

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
This week Facebook secured PV power for its data centres but also revealed it will invest in separate projects (Credit: Flickr / Marcin Wichary)

Facebook has clinched its second major solar move in the space of a few hours, securing 122MW worth of capacity for its Eagle Mountain data centre.

First Solar will build a solar farm at Iron County, in Utah’s southwest, to power the technology giant’s facility based some 200 miles north.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Construction of Cove Mountain 2 is slated to start in late 2019 and lead to commercial launch during 2020, First Solar said in a statement on Thursday.

The PV plant will incorporate the firm’s Series 6 modules, which marked their large-scale debut with another US project – 280MW California Flats – earlier in May.

Utility to purchase power on Facebook’s behalf

Supply to Facebook will be structured with utility Rocky Mountain Power, a division of Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s PacifiCorp, as the intermediary.

Under the signed PPA, Rocky Mountain will acquire power on Facebook’s behalf and deliver it to the data centre in return for so-called Schedule 34 renewable tariffs, a scheme that operates in the Utah state.

Once built, Cove Mountain 2 will stand near its 58MW Cove Mountain predecessor. Also developed by First Solar, the first of the series will power a separate Facebook data centre in Oregon.

Facebook’s move to arrange solar supply for its data centres is the latest of a long series, with similar deals inked for installations in New Mexico, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia and Singapore since 2017.

The Silicon Valley giant also appears to be taking a more active role as a solar financier, announcing also on Thursday it will be the sole tax equity investor in a 379MW Texas project.

7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.
21 October 2025
New York, USA
Returning for its 12th edition, Solar and Storage Finance USA Summit remains the annual event where decision-makers at the forefront of solar and storage projects across the United States and capital converge. Featuring the most active solar and storage transactors, join us for a packed two-days of deal-making, learning and networking.
16 June 2026
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 16-17 June 2026, will be our fifth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2027 and beyond.

Read Next

August 29, 2025
US-based climate insurance provider kWh Analytics has launched a new renewable energy insurance cover for extreme weather events.
August 29, 2025
US grid interconnection agreements grew by 33% in 2024, reaching 75GW, with three-quarters signed for solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects, according to a new report from energy market analyst Wood Mackenzie.
Premium
August 29, 2025
PV Tech Premium hears from Renewable Properties and Silicon Ranch about the new 'start of construction' rules for US solar projects.
Premium
August 28, 2025
US solar companies could potentially pay “tens of billions” of dollars in retroactive duties on products imported from Southeast Asia between June 2022 and June 2024, following a decision from the US Court of International Trade (CIT).
August 28, 2025
Boviet Solar has completed exterior construction work on its 3GW PV cell manufacturing facility in Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina. 
August 27, 2025
The governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, has signed a new legislation that seeks to build 3GW of new community solar by 2029.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines