Meta, Apex Expand Solar Portfolio to 1.2 GW With Texas PPA — SkimNews
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Meta and Apex Clean Energy expanded their joint portfolio to 1.2 GW with a new 144-MW PPA for Apex's Starling Solar project in Gonzales County, Texas.
- Meta receives exclusive rights to all environmental attributes from Starling, including all renewable energy credits; Apex told Utility Dive the agreement's financial structure is confidential.
- Starling Solar is expected to begin commercial operations in 2027 per Apex's release, though the August ERCOT queue report lists Jan. 28, 2028; the project has completed its security screening study and entered full interconnection study.
- The combined Meta-Apex portfolio now spans seven projects across Texas, Virginia, Illinois, Kansas, and Iowa, including the 200-MW Aviator Wind East (2019) and 195-MW Angelo Solar (2023) deals.
- Meta has invested heavily in Texas generation, including over $10 billion in a 1-GW data center in El Paso and a separate PPA with ENGIE for 100% of a 600-MW solar project in Stonewall County to support data center operations.
- Apex stated the 144-MW project 'would not have been built without Meta's commitment,' framing the deal as part of its focus on 'ready-to-build capacity on the accelerated timelines large-load customers require.'
Why it matters: Meta has now committed to over 1.2 GW of joint renewable capacity with Apex alone, supplementing the $10B+ El Paso data center and a separate 600-MW ENGIE solar deal in Texas — a clear signal that hyperscaler data-center load is the demand anchor enabling new utility-scale solar builds that wouldn't otherwise pencil out.
Ask SkimNews
