Meta Adds 200MW of Solar Power to Renewable Energy Portfolio

Meta Expands Renewable Energy Portfolio with New Solar Deal

Meta recently revealed its acquisition of 200 megawatts of solar energy from Engie, a global electric utility provider.

This addition significantly bolsters the technology company’s already substantial renewable energy portfolio, which currently exceeds 12 gigawatts.

Growing Energy Demands Driven by AI

This announcement coincides with a period of rapid expansion in the artificial intelligence sector.

Tech firms are accelerating the construction of data centers, leading to a surge in power demand.

Projections indicate that as much as half of all new AI servers could face power limitations by the year 2027.

Data Center Expansion and Power Sources

Meta has been proactively increasing its energy capacity.

In December, the company announced plans to construct a 2-gigawatt data center in Louisiana, although this facility is slated to be powered by natural gas.

The newly acquired solar farm is strategically located near one of Meta’s established data centers in Texas.

Interest in Nuclear Energy

Alongside renewable sources, technology companies are also exploring nuclear energy options.

Numerous agreements were finalized late last year, demonstrating a growing interest in this power source.

For instance, Google and Kairos are collaborating to deploy 500 megawatts of small modular nuclear reactors, with operations anticipated to begin in 2030.

Amazon has also secured a deal with X-Energy for 300 megawatts, expected to be operational in the early 2030s.

Meta's Nuclear Power Exploration

Meta is actively investigating nuclear power as well.

In December, the company issued a request for proposals from nuclear power developers for a capacity ranging from 1 to 4 gigawatts, aiming for implementation by the early 2030s.

The deadline for submitting plans is February 7.

Renewables Continue to Add Capacity

Despite the attention surrounding nuclear energy, renewable power sources are consistently expanding their capacity.

This ongoing development enables companies like Meta to increase their computing capabilities in the present day.

Google is supporting a $20 billion renewable energy agreement with Intersect Power and TPG Rise, while Microsoft is partnering with Acadia Infrastructure Capital on a $9 billion deal.

Deployment Speed: A Key Challenge

The speed of renewable energy deployment presents a significant challenge for nuclear startups.

Meta’s new solar farm, for example, is projected to become operational in 2025, demonstrating the relatively rapid implementation of renewable projects.