California-based renewables operator SB Energy has sealed a 942MW power purchase agreement (PPA) with Google for power produced in four of its Texas-based solar projects. The power will be used to fuel a data centre in Midlothian, Texas.
Google will purchase 75% of the 1.2GW capacity produced at the Orion 1-3 and Eiffel solar projects, which are expected to be operational by mid-2024.
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This PPA is Google’s largest combined clean energy transaction in Texas to date, and comes as part of its professed commitment to operate “every hour of every day” on carbon-free energy by 2030.
“Within the decade we’re aiming for every Google data centre to operate on clean electricity every hour of every day. This goal requires us to continue to grow our carbon-free energy portfolio,” said Sana Ouji, energy lead at Google.
The four sites will employ US-manufactured First Solar modules, the demand for which has been incentivised since the introduction of the $369 billion Inflation Reduction Act earlier this year, and the tax credits awarded to US-made renewables therein.
SB Energy says that it has plans to deliver 10GW of renewable energy and storage projects, either operational or under construction, by 2025. It currently owns 1.7GW of solar capacity and will start operation on 1.3GW more by early 2023.
The renewables industry in Texas has seen developments of late – last month British National Grid Renewables and The Hershey Company signed a 140MW PPA – and SB Energy says that its four projects will create thousands of new jobs through the construction process.
“[SB Energy] look forward to expanding our relationship with Google as we aim to deliver renewable energy that is local, reliable, and matched to load,” said the company’s co-CEO, Rich Hossfeld.
