SB Energy Launches 900 MW Solar Facility in Texas with Google Data Center Partnership

SB Energy Global, LLC has announced the commercial operation of its Orion I, Orion II, and Orion III solar projects, collectively known as the Orion Solar Belt, located in Milam County, Texas. With a total capacity of approximately 900 MWdc, these projects utilize over 1.3 million American-made solar modules and U.S.-sourced steel, and they are expected to qualify for the domestic content bonus under the Inflation Reduction Act.

The company celebrated the feat with a ribbon cutting attended by U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, along with state and local officials.

The projects comprise over 1.3 million Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) thin-film modules from US manufacturer First Solar, supplied from the company’s manufacturing facility in Perrysburg, Ohio. First Solar has also started developing two other US module manufacturing sites in Alabama and Louisiana. By the time they are completed in 2026, the company said that it intends to have reached 14GW of nameplate production capacity in the US.

Additionally, the Orion Solar Belt includes Nextracker smart solar trackers, with the majority of the components manufactured domestically. SB Energy selected Blattner to provide the project’s engineering, procurement and construction services.

“The Biden-Harris Administration envisioned an industrial strategy for clean energy that’s built and installed by American workers and powering American companies in proud American communities. This future is seen in action through the Orion Solar Belt in Texas,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “This project showcases how American made clean energy can power data centers and our future.”

“This future is seen in action through the Orion Solar Belt in Texas,” Granholm said, adding: “This project showcases how American-made clean energy can power data centres and our future.”

Why Google? The tech giant entered into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with SB Energy as part of a promise to invest more than $1 billion in the Lone Star State. 

“Google’s data centers house some of the world’s most popular services and are a major economic engine for 21st century business. Our goal is to make sure that the services and products that people and customers use every day are powered by reliable carbon-free energy around-the-clock,” said Ben Sloss, Vice President of 24×7 & Capacity, Google. “We’re thrilled SB Energy’s Orion Solar Belt is coming online, helping build a stronger future for communities and Google in Texas.”

SB Energy estimates that the Orion Solar Belt will employ 3,000 workers and contribute $100 million to local services over its lifespan.