RWE Renewables has teamed up with Facebook and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to build a 150MW solar array in Shelby County.
The internet giant will use most of the capacity, or 110MW, to support datacentre operations in Gallatin and the broader Tennessee Valley with power. Construction is expected to begin mid next year, with operations slated to start in late 2023.
RWE will own and operate the array through a long-term power purchase agreement with TVA.
“We are excited to cooperate with Facebook and TVA to develop one of the world’s most advanced solar farms,” RWE Renewables chief executive Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath said.
“Once in operation, the clean energy generated from this site will fuel jobs locally and across the state and help Facebook achieve its carbon reduction goal.”
RWE said PPA models offer it an advantage as they require no participation in tenders for feed-in tariffs, and therefore can be implemented more quickly. The utility already has PPA in place with German majors such as Volkswagen, Deutsche Bahn and Bosch.
Facebook in April said it has reached its goal to provide 100% of its operations with renewable power. The social media giant is one of the world’s biggest buyer of green energy, with more than 6GW of wind and solar under contract from 63 projects world-wide.
“Facebook’s mission is to connect the world, and the connections we made with TVA and RWE will ensure our operations in the Tennessee Valley are supported with new solar energy,” said Urvi Parekh, head of renewable energy at Facebook.
“This solar project, which is our third in Tennessee, will help us continue our commitment of 100% renewable energy for our global operations, while also bringing new investment and jobs to the local community.”
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven south-eastern states.
