Key Takeaways
Meta secured a 250-megawatt (MW) solar power project in Arkansas.
The company broke ground on Cypress Knee Solar in Chicot County, Wednesday (November 4).
The project is expected to be completed in the next two years.
Meta, the parent company of popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and messaging services like WhatsApp, is championing a 250-megawatt (MW) solar power project in Arkansas. The tech giant has agreed to purchase the cleaner electricity the farm generates.
The solar farm is being developed by EDP Renewables North America (EDPR NA), an American subsidiary of a Portuguese-Spanish Renewable Energy Company.
On Wednesday (November 4), the company broke ground on Cypress Knee Solar in Chicot County, towards the southeastern end of the state. The project is expected to be completed in the next two years, said officials.
Capacity boosts to 545 MW
Earlier in May, Meta and EDPR NA announced the deal. Under the agreement, the tech company signed a pact to support the clean energy the latter produces. Cypress Knee is the third such project among them, with Meta’s commitment to buy 545 MW from EDPR NA.
To offset its carbon emissions, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company pledges long-term power purchases ofcleaner energy. This contributes to the company’s larger goal of matching 100 percent of its annual electricity use with renewable energy generation.
Beyond providing reliable energy to support America’s power grid, the Kansas project is expected to boost jobs and strengthen the state’s economy.
More from Energy
See AllEnergyNew lifecycle model reveals the downstream impact of battery shredding choicesEnergyGoogle to power Wyoming data center with 702 MW gas project, capture most emissionsEnergyChinese team develops slurry that boosts capacity of manganese batteries by 409%EnergyUS to receive 300 MW of mobile power capacity from 10 turbines by early 2027EnergyEngine-powered data centers challenge combined-cycle turbines with 99% water savings”As energy demand continues to rise, projects like Cypress Knee Solar help strengthen grid reliability while creating jobs, generating meaningful local revenue, and delivering long-term benefits to the communities that host them,”saidEDPR NA CEO Sandhya Ganapathy.
The company estimates that the new solar farm project, once completed, is likely to bring $25 million in revenue over its lifetime.
Meta’s previous solar power purchases
Last month, the Silicon Valley company also bought long-term power purchase agreements for a 203 MW solar project in Indiana from the Spanish renewable energy companyZelestra.
The project is being built on reclaimed land from former coal mining operations in southwest Indiana and is expected to go live by 2027.
The moves are in line with the company’s efforts to embrace the shift to cleaner energy.
More and more data centers are being built across the country to provide services such as instant search results and streaming videos to hundreds of followers on social media platforms, and they are massive consumers of electricity. With the recent addition of artificial intelligence (AI) services, tech companies are building even larger data centers to train and run AI models in the future.
To counter their energy consumption needs from fossil fuels, the tech giants are investing in sustainable energy generation.
Two years ago, Meta secured 300 MW of cleansolarenergy for its Texan data center from a Boston-based renewable energy supplier, Longroad Energy.
The project, called 1000 Mile, with support from the technology company for the entire output, will provide solar-powered energy for Yoakum County in Texas. It has an output capacity of 300 MWac or 400 MWdc and lies within the footprint of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP).
All energy generated during the 1000 Mile project will be delivered to SPP’s grid, which will then be supplied to Meta’s data center operations, according to a previousreport.
Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.
By subscribing, you agree to our
Terms of Useand
PoliciesYou may unsubscribe at any time.
0
COMMENT
Subscribe to
Today!
Access to exclusive content, expert insights and a deeper dive into engineering and tech. No ads, no limits.
Explore Now!By
Muskan Bhatia- 1US launches new Super Intelligence Task Force to protect American tech leadership
- 2US military's 16,000-lb helicopter recovered from altitude of 10,000-foot in major rescue operation
- 3US Navy to deploy 3,000-mph PAC-3 MSE interceptor on warships to hunt ballistic missiles
- 4Submarine-hunters with new modifications, advanced systems to boost US' future battle power
- 572,000-ton British aircraft carrier launches attack drones in historic naval first
Key Takeaways
Meta secured a 250-megawatt (MW) solar power project in Arkansas.
The company broke ground on Cypress Knee Solar in Chicot County, Wednesday (November 4).
The project is expected to be completed in the next two years.
Meta, the parent company of popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and messaging services like WhatsApp, is championing a 250-megawatt (MW) solar power project in Arkansas. The tech giant has agreed to purchase the cleaner electricity the farm generates.
The solar farm is being developed by EDP Renewables North America (EDPR NA), an American subsidiary of a Portuguese-Spanish Renewable Energy Company.
On Wednesday (November 4), the company broke ground on Cypress Knee Solar in Chicot County, towards the southeastern end of the state. The project is expected to be completed in the next two years, said officials.
Capacity boosts to 545 MW
Earlier in May, Meta and EDPR NA announced the deal. Under the agreement, the tech company signed a pact to support the clean energy the latter produces. Cypress Knee is the third such project among them, with Meta’s commitment to buy 545 MW from EDPR NA.
To offset its carbon emissions, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company pledges long-term power purchases ofcleaner energy. This contributes to the company’s larger goal of matching 100 percent of its annual electricity use with renewable energy generation.
Beyond providing reliable energy to support America’s power grid, the Kansas project is expected to boost jobs and strengthen the state’s economy.
More from Energy
See AllEnergyNew lifecycle model reveals the downstream impact of battery shredding choicesEnergyGoogle to power Wyoming data center with 702 MW gas project, capture most emissionsEnergyChinese team develops slurry that boosts capacity of manganese batteries by 409%EnergyUS to receive 300 MW of mobile power capacity from 10 turbines by early 2027EnergyEngine-powered data centers challenge combined-cycle turbines with 99% water savings”As energy demand continues to rise, projects like Cypress Knee Solar help strengthen grid reliability while creating jobs, generating meaningful local revenue, and delivering long-term benefits to the communities that host them,”saidEDPR NA CEO Sandhya Ganapathy.
The company estimates that the new solar farm project, once completed, is likely to bring $25 million in revenue over its lifetime.
Meta’s previous solar power purchases
Last month, the Silicon Valley company also bought long-term power purchase agreements for a 203 MW solar project in Indiana from the Spanish renewable energy companyZelestra.
The project is being built on reclaimed land from former coal mining operations in southwest Indiana and is expected to go live by 2027.
The moves are in line with the company’s efforts to embrace the shift to cleaner energy.
More and more data centers are being built across the country to provide services such as instant search results and streaming videos to hundreds of followers on social media platforms, and they are massive consumers of electricity. With the recent addition of artificial intelligence (AI) services, tech companies are building even larger data centers to train and run AI models in the future.
To counter their energy consumption needs from fossil fuels, the tech giants are investing in sustainable energy generation.
Two years ago, Meta secured 300 MW of cleansolarenergy for its Texan data center from a Boston-based renewable energy supplier, Longroad Energy.
The project, called 1000 Mile, with support from the technology company for the entire output, will provide solar-powered energy for Yoakum County in Texas. It has an output capacity of 300 MWac or 400 MWdc and lies within the footprint of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP).
All energy generated during the 1000 Mile project will be delivered to SPP’s grid, which will then be supplied to Meta’s data center operations, according to a previousreport.
Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.
By subscribing, you agree to our
Terms of Useand
PoliciesYou may unsubscribe at any time.
0
COMMENT
Subscribe to
Today!
Access to exclusive content, expert insights and a deeper dive into engineering and tech. No ads, no limits.
Explore Now!By
Muskan Bhatia- 1US launches new Super Intelligence Task Force to protect American tech leadership
- 2US military's 16,000-lb helicopter recovered from altitude of 10,000-foot in major rescue operation
- 3US Navy to deploy 3,000-mph PAC-3 MSE interceptor on warships to hunt ballistic missiles
- 4Submarine-hunters with new modifications, advanced systems to boost US' future battle power
- 572,000-ton British aircraft carrier launches attack drones in historic naval first
