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Meta bought 1 GW of solar this week
TechCrunchยท 2025-10-31 19:26
Core Insights - Meta has signed three agreements to procure nearly 1 gigawatt of solar power, bringing its total solar purchases to over 3 gigawatts in 2023, as part of its strategy to support AI ambitions [1][2] Group 1: Solar Power Agreements - The recent agreements include two projects in Louisiana for a combined 385 megawatts, expected to be completed in two years [2] - A larger deal was made for 600 megawatts from a solar farm in Texas, which will start commercial operations in 2027 [2][3] Group 2: Environmental Attributes and Criticism - The Louisiana deals involve purchasing environmental attribute certificates (EACs) to offset carbon-intensive power sources [3][4] - EACs have faced criticism for potentially obscuring the true carbon footprint of tech companies, especially as AI increases electricity consumption [4][7] Group 3: Market Dynamics and Renewable Energy - The cost of solar and wind energy has significantly decreased, making renewables more competitive than fossil fuels [6][7] - Experts argue that EACs may not effectively stimulate additional renewable power and suggest that companies should focus on encouraging the development of new renewable capacity to offset energy use from AI [7]