Meta Signs Up to Purchase Environmental Credits for Cypress Creek’s 505-MW Texas Solar Farm
Cypress Creek Renewables and Facebook parent company Meta have signed an Environmental Attribute Purchase Agreement (EAPA) to construct a 505 MWdc (396MWac) solar facility, Hanson Solar, in Texas.
The agreement will offset Meta’s daily carbon-based electricity use and support the company’s announced aim to achieve 100% clean and renewable energy operations. Under EAPAs and virtual power purchase agreements, the customer may not receive the carbon-free power directly, but its investment helps finance construction and commissioning of the energy into the grids.
"We are thrilled to collaborate with Cypress Creek Renewables to bring solar energy to the grid in Texas – and support our operations in the region with clean and renewable energy," said Urvi Parekh, Head of Global Energy at Meta, in a statement. "We look forward to this project becoming operational."
One of the biggest U.S. drivers of growing data center capacity, Meta recently has expanded its deals for renewable projects and power purchase agreements, including two PPAs with developer RWE to help fund 374 MW of solar farms in Illinois and Louisiana.
The Hanson Solar facility will be developed, owned and operated by Cypress Creek in Coleman County, Texas. Once operational in 2027, the project will deliver electricity to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas grid, contributing to system reliability and increasing the portion of renewables on the grid.
Hanson Solar is expected to provide more than $80 million in local tax revenue and create more than 300 jobs during construction. While construction of the facility is scheduled to begin by the end of 2025, operations are expected to commence in 2027.
