Milam County, Texas – Meta today announced it will buy 260 MW of solar energy from the Sypert Branch project in Milam County, Texas, through a major Environmental Attributes Purchase Agreement (EAPA) with ENGIE North America. This 20-year deal with ENGIE fits within Meta’s long-term commitment to renewable energy, adding to its portfolio of clean energy while advancing its net-zero objectives. When completed and entered into service late this year, the project will have important environmental benefits for Meta but also generate significant economic benefits in the region through job creation and tax revenue.
ENGIE’s Sypert Branch solar project, about 70 miles northeast of Austin and near Meta’s Temple, TX, data center, makes it an ideal location to support the power increase required by the social giant. The 260 MW adds up to Meta’s renewable energy portfolio at more than 12 GW; however, it is another step in its pursuit to use 100% renewable energy to power its global operations.
Local Economic Boost: Job Creation and Tax Revenue
Apart from the environmental advantage, the Sypert Branch project will also bring in substantial economic contributions to Milam County. Jobs will be created in excess of 300 persons working on construction jobs, and most are envisioned to be the area’s skilled workforce, while increasing employment within the region. Such opportunities, though helping to ameliorate employment within the area, will also improve local economic conditions and add experience in the renewable energy sector.
During its operational lifetime, the Sypert Branch will pay more than $69 million in taxes. Of that amount, approximately $45 million will go directly into funding local school districts; a result of the mutual will by Meta and ENGIE to leave a positive impact on the communities hosting their infrastructure. Additional money will be available to create better educational materials and facilities, thus improving life for Milam County citizens.
Renewable Leadership
Under this agreement, ENGIE further cements its stand as a number one corporate energy provider in the United States with an excellent success record in PPAs, focused on renewable energy sources. With nearly 1 GW of corporate PPAs signed across the U.S. in 2024 alone, ENGIE is now an indispensable partner in developing clean energy solutions. Dave Carroll, Chief Renewables Officer and Senior Vice President, ENGIE North America, said the company is committed to helping its customers meet sustainability goals through reliable renewable energy solutions.
“We are delighted to announce this agreement in collaboration with Meta for providing renewable power that supports their growth and matches the net-zero commitments,” Carroll said. “ENGIE’s experience and proven track record in developing, building and operating renewable assets put it at the forefront of the energy transition. That track record is what this agreement with Meta recognizes as important to our customers.”
As proof of greater investment in projects such as the Sypert Branch solar project, ENGIE is strategically pushing forward the energy transition process in the United States. These collaborations help make it a critical enabler in the shift of companies towards greener ways while giving them easier access to clean energy.
Meta’s Deepening Commitment to Sustainability
Meta’s partnership with ENGIE is a high-profile quest for sustainability. The company has achieved net-zero emissions of greenhouse gas across its global operations since 2020. Such commitment is supported by increasingly growing renewable energy portfolios. Meta’s deal with ENGIE further cements their commitment to reducing carbon footprint and will be a shining example of corporate sustainability practice.
According to Urvi Parekh, Head of Clean Energy at Meta, this deal is important because, “We are excited to work with ENGIE to drive the renewable energy transition. Since 2020, we have achieved net zero emissions in our global operations – these efforts are powered by relationships such as with ENGIE who can always deliver and operate projects such as Sypert Branch to help meet our needs for energy.”
Through putting renewable energy at the heart of what it does, Meta is pushing at the frontiers of a more sustainable future within the tech industry, in a way that will influence broader changes in corporate responsibility.
The Future of Renewable Energy in Milam County and Beyond
It represents a very promising model of what the renewable energy resource might look like, being able to support corporate sustainability targets while affecting community development. In cases like Sypert Branch, continuing growth of demand for renewable energy solutions shows how the energy transition can be pursued by the corporate sector at the same time as tangible local economies’ benefits.
The project will also help positively impact the environment, as it reduces reliance on fossil fuels. Meta’s data centers, which consume a lot of power for data processing and storage, will be offset in terms of carbon emissions by Sypert Branch’s solar energy. In Milam County, the project will not only bring stewardship of the environment but also position the area to be a hub for renewable energy.
A Broader Commitment to Sustainability
The collaboration marks the trend of most multinational companies embracing clean energy as a normal business practice. PPAs like this secure the energy requirements of global firms in accordance with efforts at curbing global warming through the usage of renewable sources of energy. The status of ENGIE at the forefront among the most prominent PPA providers underlines its commitment to offering scalable, reliable renewable energy to address the operational needs of a corporate behemoth like Meta.
This will be the Sypert Branch project, which is actually the full potential that public-private partnerships can catalyze in driving real environmental and economic change. Meta, further innovating through renewable energy deployment with ENGIE, upholds significant levels of corporate responsibility and sustainable development in the tech and energy industries. It opens pathways for such projects across the country to bring a greener and more sustainable future.
Summary
Meta has recently collaborated with ENGIE North America on a new solar project called Sypert Branch, which serves as a good example of commonality in commitment to sustainability as Meta will buy all 260 MW capacity to support its net-zero aspirations. The project will create more than 300 local jobs, generate $69 million in tax revenue, and serve as an exemplary example of how the partnerships through renewable energy can drive not only community but also environmental benefits. This partnership, being a new standard in business sustainability, marks part of the Group’s strengthening of its role as a leader in corporate energy provision.