"Meta signed three deals this week to procure nearly 1 gigawatt of solar power as it races to power its lofty AI ambitions. The trio of agreements brings Meta's total solar purchases to over 3 gigawatts of capacity this year. Solar is cheap and quick to build, and as a result, it has become a go-to power source for tech companies as their data center fleets multiply in size."
"The Louisiana deals, though, involve purchasing of certificates that allow Meta to offset its carbon-intensive sources of power. Such environmental attribute certificates (EACs), sometimes called renewable energy certificates, have been criticized by experts for obscuring the true carbon footprint of tech companies' operations, which have ballooned as AI has driven up electricity use. EACs were introduced years ago when renewables were costly relative to fossil fuel generators."
Meta finalized three solar agreements totaling nearly 1 gigawatt this week, bringing its solar purchases above 3 gigawatts for the year. Two Louisiana agreements involve buying environmental attributes for 385 megawatts, with both projects expected to complete in two years. A separate 600-megawatt Texas deal will feed the local grid and begin commercial operations in 2027. Solar is favored for being inexpensive and quick to build as data center electricity demand grows with AI. Environmental attribute certificates (EACs) have faced criticism for potentially masking true carbon footprints and for uncertain additionality.
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