One of the largest solar projects in the U.S. opened in Texas on Friday, backed by what Google said is the largest solar electricity purchase it has ever made.

Google executive Ben Sloss said at the ribbon cutting, about two hours south of Dallas, that the corporation has a responsibility to bring renewable, carbon-free electricity online at the same time it opens operations that will use that power. Google expects to spend $16 billion through 2040 globally to purchase clean energy, he said.

U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, who attended, said the solar project is a posterchild for the administration’s efforts to incentivize manufacturers and developers to locate energy projects in the U.S.

“Sometimes when you are in the middle of history, it’s hard to tell, because you are in the middle of it,” she said. “But I’m telling you right now that we are in the middle of history being made.”

SB Energy built three solar farms side by side, the “Orion Solar Belt,” in Buckholts, Texas. Combined, they will be able to provide 875 megawatts of clean energy. That is nearly the size of a typical nuclear facility. In total, Google has contracted with clean energy developers to bring more than 2,800 megawatts of new wind and solar projects to the state, which it says exceeds the amount of power required for its operations there.

  • this@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    15·
    1 month ago

    Can do both because their stupid AI will probably suck more energy then those panels will produce.

    • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
      21·
      30 days ago

      Even if that is the case it would still be positive because it is carbon-neutral. We can still say its a waste of power, but it wouldn’t be warming the planet.

        • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
          1·
          30 days ago

          Except for the cost of building all of it, sure.

          I’m not getting the point you’re making with this statement. The cost is Google’s alone. There’s no cost to you or me. How are we losing?

          Additionally, support for large scale solar projects means creating and jobs and skills that can build out other large scale solar projects.