Tech giant Meta has signed a deal to acquire around 1 gigawatt of solar power, further expanding its renewable energy portfolio to over 3 gigawatts this year, as the company seeks to support its growing artificial intelligence operations.
Meta finalized two agreements in Louisiana to purchase the environmental attributes of 385 megawatts of electricity, with the projects expected to be operational by 2027. Earlier in the week, the company acquired 600 megawatts from a large solar farm near Lubbock, Texas, also slated to begin commercial operations in 2027.
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While the Texas plant will feed electricity into the local grid rather than directly powering Meta’s data centers, the deal helps offset the energy consumption of its facilities. In Louisiana, Meta will purchase Environmental Attribute Certificates (EACs), which allow the company to offset reliance on carbon-intensive power sources.
Experts, however, have raised concerns over EACs, noting that they may obscure the actual carbon footprint of tech operations, which has grown due to rising electricity demands from AI. Unlike earlier adjustable certificates that incentivized renewable energy development, EACs may no longer drive additional renewable capacity, given the declining cost of solar and wind energy. Experts suggest that companies aiming to truly offset AI-driven energy use should focus on fostering new renewable projects.