One of the largest solar farms in the United States, which is sponsored by Google, has relocated to Central Texas. This significant achievement in the field of clean energy signifies the world’s greatest solar energy investment by Google.
SB Energy announced on Friday, October 18, that its three solar projects, Orion I, Orion II, and Orion III, which were constructed in tandem, are now operational. Google’s previous commitment to invest over $1 billion in Texas this year includes the Orion Solar Belt, which is situated in Milam County, approximately 76 miles north of Austin.
Google’s data centers in the Dallas cloud region will be powered by this three-tiered belt. Google signed a lease for a large warehouse in the Fort Worth area earlier this month to support cloud and data center infrastructure and meet the increasing demand for Google Cloud, AI, and other digital products and services that are used by individuals and organizations on a daily basis.
“Google’s data centers are a significant economic driver for 21st-century businesses and are home to some of the world’s most popular services.” In a press release, Ben Sloss, Google’s Vice President of 24×7 & Capacity, stated, “Our objective is to guarantee that the services and products that individuals and customers utilize on a daily basis are powered by dependable, carbon-free energy that is available at all times.” “We’re thrilled SB Energy’s Orion Solar Belt is coming online, helping build a stronger future for communities and Google in Texas.”
The domestic content bonus enacted by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which is the most significant action Congress has taken on renewable energy and climate change in the nation, is also anticipated to be applicable to these Orion projects, which are the first utility-scale projects to qualify. About 3,000 U.S. manufacturing and construction workers were estimated to have been employed by the endeavor.
The Biden-Harris Administration’s “industrial strategy for clean energy that’s built and installed by American workers and powering American companies in proud American communities” is exemplified by the project, according to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, who attended SB Energy’s groundbreaking.
“The Orion Solar Belt in Texas is a tangible example of this future,” stated Jennifer M. Granholm, the U.S. Secretary of Energy. “This project showcases how American made clean energy can power data centers and our future.”
SB Energy’s three new solar farms will be capable of generating 875 megawatts of clean energy when combined. This energy will be generated using more than 1.3 million American-made supplies, including U.S. steel that is predominantly sourced in Midlothian and smart solar trackers. Texas is the nation’s leader in terms of both total energy consumption and installed renewable energy capacity.
At present, renewable energy resources provide nearly 30% of the energy consumed by Texans. The Lone Star State has installed 70 gigawatts of solar, wind, and energy storage capacity.