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Released December 18, 2020 | SUGAR LAND
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Written by John Egan for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The largest U.S. solar generation project is being built in Northeast Texas. The Samson Solar Energy Center is a 1,310-megawatt (MW), $1.6 billion project that will be built in five phases, according to developer Invenergy (Chicago, Illinois). So far, five companies and three municipal utilities in Texas have signed up to take the power. Construction began in June for Phase 1 and Phase 2, which total about 500 MW of generating capacity, and those phases are scheduled to be operating by mid-2022, said Invenergy spokesman Ben Lambrecht.
Industrial Info is tracking more than $4.6 billion worth of capital solar energy projects now under construction in Texas.
Click on the image at right for a graph detailing solar projects under construction in Texas, by county.
By starting construction in 2020, the first two phases will be eligible for a 26% federal investment tax credit (ITC). Solar projects starting construction in 2021 will be eligible for a 22% ITC, and projects breaking ground in 2022 and beyond will be able to claim a 10% federal tax credit.
Lambrecht told Industrial Info that Phase 3 of the project, sized at about 300 MW, will be operating by mid-2022, and the final two phases of the Samson Solar Energy Center, which total about 510 MW of generating capacity, will be online by mid-2023. See Industrial Info's project reports.
In an April report, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) (Austin, Texas) said there was about 2,300 MW of solar generation operating in Texas. Noting the aggressive development of solar in Texas, the group said that solar capacity could double by the end of 2020.
The Samson project is nearly double the size of the next-largest U.S. solar project under development, the 690-MW Gemini project, located in Nevada; see Industrial Info's Gemini project reports.
"Invenergy continues to lead the energy transition, and this record-setting project demonstrates our expertise at a new scale," said Ted Romaine, Invenergy's senior vice president of origination, in a November 18 statement. "The Samson Solar Energy Center is the latest example of what can be achieved when companies and utilities seek an innovative partner to meet their sustainability goals and invest in a clean energy future."
Several phases of this project are expected to be online in late 2022, with the remaining phases generating electricity by the end of 2023.
The power will be taken by five companies and three Texas municipal electric utilities. The off-takers are:
The Samson Solar Energy Center will be built in Lamar, Red River and Franklin counties. Up to about 600 jobs will be created over the project's 36-month construction period. The project will make more than $250 million in payments to landowners and pay nearly $200 million in property taxes over the life of the project.
"At AT&T, we believe renewable energy is good for the planet, for our business, and for the communities we serve," said Scott Mair, president of AT&T Technology & Operations, in Invenergy's November 18 statement. "With more than 1.5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, our portfolio delivers clean electricity to the grid, helps to create jobs and community benefits, and supports the transition to a low-carbon economy. We're excited to participate in Invenergy's Samson project through the largest corporate solar energy deal in the U.S."
"I've said it before and I will say it again -- everything's bigger in Texas, and that includes solar power," said Britt Burt, Industrial Info's vice president of research for the Global Power Industry. "Industrial Info has tracked the completion of 10 solar projects in Texas this year that totaled about 2,454 MW of new generation. The aggregate value of those projects is about $1.7 billion. Next year, we expect construction will begin on an additional 64 solar projects valued at about $18 billion. If all of these projects are constructed, that would add over 10,000 MW more of solar capacity."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com.
Industrial Info is tracking more than $4.6 billion worth of capital solar energy projects now under construction in Texas.
By starting construction in 2020, the first two phases will be eligible for a 26% federal investment tax credit (ITC). Solar projects starting construction in 2021 will be eligible for a 22% ITC, and projects breaking ground in 2022 and beyond will be able to claim a 10% federal tax credit.
Lambrecht told Industrial Info that Phase 3 of the project, sized at about 300 MW, will be operating by mid-2022, and the final two phases of the Samson Solar Energy Center, which total about 510 MW of generating capacity, will be online by mid-2023. See Industrial Info's project reports.
In an April report, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) (Austin, Texas) said there was about 2,300 MW of solar generation operating in Texas. Noting the aggressive development of solar in Texas, the group said that solar capacity could double by the end of 2020.
The Samson project is nearly double the size of the next-largest U.S. solar project under development, the 690-MW Gemini project, located in Nevada; see Industrial Info's Gemini project reports.
"Invenergy continues to lead the energy transition, and this record-setting project demonstrates our expertise at a new scale," said Ted Romaine, Invenergy's senior vice president of origination, in a November 18 statement. "The Samson Solar Energy Center is the latest example of what can be achieved when companies and utilities seek an innovative partner to meet their sustainability goals and invest in a clean energy future."
Several phases of this project are expected to be online in late 2022, with the remaining phases generating electricity by the end of 2023.
The power will be taken by five companies and three Texas municipal electric utilities. The off-takers are:
- AT&T: 500 MW
- Honda: 200 MW
- McDonald's: 160 MW
- City of Bryan, Texas: 150 MW
- Google: 100 MW
- City of Denton, Texas: 75 MW
- The Home Depot: 50 MW
- City of Garland, Texas: 25 MW
The Samson Solar Energy Center will be built in Lamar, Red River and Franklin counties. Up to about 600 jobs will be created over the project's 36-month construction period. The project will make more than $250 million in payments to landowners and pay nearly $200 million in property taxes over the life of the project.
"At AT&T, we believe renewable energy is good for the planet, for our business, and for the communities we serve," said Scott Mair, president of AT&T Technology & Operations, in Invenergy's November 18 statement. "With more than 1.5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, our portfolio delivers clean electricity to the grid, helps to create jobs and community benefits, and supports the transition to a low-carbon economy. We're excited to participate in Invenergy's Samson project through the largest corporate solar energy deal in the U.S."
"I've said it before and I will say it again -- everything's bigger in Texas, and that includes solar power," said Britt Burt, Industrial Info's vice president of research for the Global Power Industry. "Industrial Info has tracked the completion of 10 solar projects in Texas this year that totaled about 2,454 MW of new generation. The aggregate value of those projects is about $1.7 billion. Next year, we expect construction will begin on an additional 64 solar projects valued at about $18 billion. If all of these projects are constructed, that would add over 10,000 MW more of solar capacity."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com.
