BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A new solar project in Bastrop County will have one purpose — to power Meta. According to a press release from RWE, a renewable energy company, the project, called Waterloo Solar, will supply 100% of its output to Meta under a newly-signed power purchase agreement.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, set a goal in 2018 to have 100% of its operations fueled by renewable energy.
“RWE’s partnership with Meta underscores the importance of unleashing American electricity generation from all sources to support load growth in Texas and across the U.S.,” said Christoph Hunfeld, chief commercial officer of German-owned RWE Clean Energy.
Construction on the 200-megawatt Waterloo Solar project is expected to begin in late 2025. The project will employ approximately 300 full-time workers at peak construction and generate an estimated $26 million in new local economic activity, including about $2 million per year for the local economy, according to RWE.
Solar is now the fastest-growing source of electricity in the United States, according to Climate Central, with Texas producing the second-most solar energy in 2024, behind California.
