**Google Unveils Major Solar Energy Project in Texas**

In a significant move towards cleaner energy, Google inaugurated one of the United States' largest solar projects in Texas. The launch, roughly two hours south of Dallas, marks Google’s highest investment in solar electricity purchasing to date.

Google executive Ben Sloss highlighted the company's commitment to integrating renewable, carbon-free electricity with its operations. He noted during the ribbon-cutting ceremony that Google plans to invest $16 billion globally by 2040 in clean energy projects. Supporting this initiative, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm praised the project as a model for the administration's efforts to attract energy projects within the country.

The project, known as the "Orion Solar Belt," consists of three adjacent solar farms built by SB Energy in Buckholts, Texas, and collectively they generate 875 megawatts of clean energy. This output is comparable to that of a typical nuclear power facility. Google has partnered with multiple clean energy developers, securing over 2,800 megawatts of new wind and solar projects in Texas alone, surpassing the energy needs of its operations in the state.

In addition to solar, tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are investing in nuclear energy to power their data centers, driven by the increasing energy demands from data centers and artificial intelligence. Despite these efforts, achieving carbon-free electricity around the clock remains a challenge. The International Energy Agency projects that data centers' total energy consumption could exceed 1,000 terawatt-hours by 2026, which is more than twice the level from 2022.

As global electricity usage grows with more buildings and vehicles electrifying, last year's record-high energy consumption has already put a strain on power grids worldwide. In response to these demands, Google announced an investment of over $1 billion in Texas within this year to bolster its cloud and data center infrastructure.

Approximately 85% of the solar power from the Orion Solar Belt will support Google's data centers in Ellis County and its cloud computing operations in the Dallas region. The remaining energy will feed into Texas's electrical grid. Interestingly, the solar farm also supports local agriculture, with thousands of sheep grazing to manage the vegetation around the solar panels.

Reflecting on the project, Sloss remarked, "This project was just a spreadsheet and a set of emails I had been exchanging, along with many approvals. But witnessing the vast field of solar arrays was breathtaking. It's amazing what we've collectively accomplished."

SB Energy emphasized that the majority of the solar farm components were manufactured in the United States, a feat made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, which stimulates clean energy production domestically. The company believes these projects will be among the first to qualify for additional tax credits granted for using domestic content.