Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is set to bolster its Mesa data center operations with a significant infusion of renewable energy from Orsted, a clean energy provider, in collaboration with Salt River Project (SRP). The move solidifies Meta’s commitment to sustainable energy practices and aligns with its aim to achieve 100 percent renewable energy and net-zero goals.
The key component of this initiative is the partnership with Orsted’s Eleven Mile Solar Center, a pioneering project featuring a 300-MW solar farm coupled with a four-hour, 300-MW battery energy storage system. Scheduled to go online in 2024, this project marks a milestone as the largest solar-plus-battery endeavor on SRP’s grid and one of the most substantial battery energy storage systems in a single phase in the United States.
Aside from powering Meta’s data center, the surplus solar and stored energy will be made available to SRP’s customer base, further enhancing the region’s renewable energy accessibility.
Urvi Parekh, Meta’s Head of Renewable Energy, expressed the company’s pride in partnering with SRP to introduce fresh solar energy to the grid, emphasizing Meta’s commitment to positively impact local communities and fuel economic growth in the Mesa area.
Bobby Olsen, Chief Planning, Strategy, and Sustainability Executive at SRP, highlighted the significance of strategic partnerships with entities like Meta and Orsted in advancing SRP’s sustainable energy goals and plans to significantly increase power resource capacity by 2035.
James Giamarino, Chief Commercial Officer, Americas at Orsted, underscored the company’s dedication to delivering clean and affordable power through innovative projects like the Eleven Mile Solar Center, emphasizing Orsted’s commitment to fostering a clean energy future.
The Eleven Mile Solar Center, sprawled across 2,000 acres, not only promises renewable energy but also anticipates generating substantial tax revenue, benefitting local school districts, municipalities, and the county. The project’s construction has already generated over 300 jobs, contributing to the local economy.
This announcement aligns with SRP’s Integrated System Plan (ISP), geared towards meeting growing energy demands while emphasizing reliability, affordability, and sustainability. The plan outlines SRP’s ambitious targets of adding 7,000 MW of new renewable resources by 2035, including 6,000 MW of large-scale solar resources, significantly expanding its solar portfolio and bolstering clean energy accessibility in the region.