MANY MINDEDMeta and Apex Clean Energy Add 144MW Texas Solar to Portfolio
Meta and Apex Clean Energy finalized a 144-MW solar PPA for the Starling Solar project in Gonzales County, Texas. The project is scheduled to begin commercial operations on January 28, 2028, per ERCOT’s August 2026 queue report. It has completed security screening and entered the full interconnection study phase. This agreement expands Meta’s clean energy portfolio to 1.2 GW across Texas, Virginia, Illinois, Kansas, and Iowa—though the figure reflects only projects in the agreement’s current phase, not all active projects nationwide. The deal marks Meta and Apex’s third major transaction, following a 200-MW wind PPA in 2019 and a 195-MW solar environmental attribute agreement in 2023.
The PPA directly lowers long-term electricity costs for Meta’s data centers by securing renewable energy. Meta also receives exclusive rights to all environmental attributes from the project, including renewable energy credits. This mechanism reduces the carbon footprint and operational expenses tied to data center power—a critical cost driver for internet infrastructure.
For SUSTENANCE and GOODS, cheaper data center electricity means more accessible computing services at scale. As Meta’s infrastructure becomes more energy-efficient, the cost of foundational digital services could decline, supporting broader internet access and digital tools for everyday needs. What to watch: The January 2028 commercial date, whether the 1.2 GW figure grows with new projects in the current phase, and how the confidential agreement structure affects future scalability. The source explicitly states the 1.2 GW figure covers only projects in the agreement’s current phase, not all active projects across the five states.
Source: Utility Dive