Google inks deal for massive Arkansas solar and storage project
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- Google signed a deal with Cypress Creek Energy to act as anchor investor and offtaker for the 2.5 GW solar / 2.9 GWh storage Steel River Energy Center breaking ground in Mississippi County, Arkansas.
- Steel River Energy Center will be built in three phases — the first two add 1.6 GW of solar and 1.9 GWh of battery storage — with the full facility expected online in 2029.
- The project is Google's largest solar and storage facility across its portfolio to date, pairing solar arrays with advanced battery storage; solar and storage made up 91% of new U.S. electricity generation capacity in Q1 per SEIA.
- Steel River is projected to create 700 construction jobs per phase and deliver an estimated $300 million in local tax revenue to Mississippi County over the project's lifetime.
- Google committed $5 million for Arkansas energy affordability initiatives and K-12 schools, while Cypress Creek pledged $3 million in community investment, starting with a $400,000 contribution to build a school playground.
- Solar panels will be manufactured entirely in the U.S. and nearly all structural steel will come from Mississippi County facilities — proof of concept for a domestic supply chain, per Cypress Creek CEO Kevin Smith.
- Google's 2025 carbon footprint is 18% higher than 2024 and 81% above its 2019 baseline, with the company attributing the rise to its AI buildout.
Why it matters: Google's biggest solar-storage commitment to date arrives as its emissions have surged 81% above 2019 levels on AI buildout, making the 2.5 GW deal a material offset for data-center power demand while also anchoring a U.S.-made panel supply chain in Mississippi County.
