Meta Buys 1 GW of Solar Power to Fuel Its Expanding AI Infrastructure

Meta has signed three major agreements this week to secure nearly one gigawatt (1 GW) of solar power as part of its accelerated push to meet the energy demands of its expanding AI operations.

The new deals bring Meta’s total solar procurement to more than 3 GW of capacity by 2025, marking a significant milestone in the company’s effort to power its data centre expansion with renewable energy. Solar projects remain a favourite among tech giants due to their affordability and relatively quick build times.

On Thursday, Meta confirmed two new solar agreements in Louisiana, covering a combined 385 megawatts (MW) of clean-energy capacity. Both projects are expected to be operational within two years. These follow a larger contract announced earlier in the week, in which Meta agreed to purchase 600 MW from a large-scale solar installation near Lubbock, Texas, scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2027.

While the Texas facility will not be directly connected to Meta’s data centres, its output will feed the local grid, indirectly offsetting the company’s regional power use. The Louisiana projects, however, focus on environmental attribute certificates (EACs)—also known as renewable energy certificates—which Meta will purchase to balance out its carbon-intensive energy consumption.

EACs have drawn criticism in recent years for allowing corporations to claim carbon neutrality without directly reducing their emissions. These certificates were initially introduced when renewable power was more expensive, providing companies with a method to offset emissions and incentivise new clean-energy development.

However, with solar and wind energy now often cheaper than fossil fuels, experts say EACs no longer provide the same level of impact. They argue that companies aiming to offset their growing AI-driven energy usage should genuinely focus on developing new renewable projects rather than relying primarily on certificates.

As AI workloads dramatically increase electricity demand across the tech industry, Meta’s latest round of solar deals underscores the growing urgency among hyperscalers to balance sustainability commitments with the power-hungry nature of artificial intelligence.