Google has announced its largest-ever purchase of solar power and battery storage, a project in Arkansas that will supply roughly 6% of the state's peak electricity demand. The first two phases, developed with Cypress Creek Energy, add 1 gigawatt of solar capacity and 1.9 gigawatt-hours of battery storage, with Google buying the entire output. The company is also an investor in the project.
A massive clean energy facility
The Steel River Energy Center, located about 30 miles north of Memphis, Tennessee, will ultimately become the largest solar facility in the United States. The third phase is scheduled to connect to the grid in 2029, bringing total capacity to 1.8 GW of solar and 2.9 GWh of battery storage. Cypress Creek has secured $3.5 billion in financing for the first two phases. By pairing solar panels with large batteries, the plant can supply power around the clock, helping Google match its electricity use with clean power on an hourly basis.
Contrast with xAI's gas expansion
Google's investment stands in stark contrast to xAI, which operates an unpermitted natural gas power plant about 40 miles to the south. Elon Musk's AI company is running nearly 60 gas turbines without federal clean air permits, according to Reuters, with pollution affecting predominantly Black neighborhoods in Mississippi. Musk recently purchased APR Energy, a developer specializing in modular gas plants, signaling no change in course.
Google has also invested in natural gas—partnering with Crusoe on a 933-megawatt plant in West Texas—but that project is an anomaly. The company has mostly relied on renewables to expand its portfolio. With projects like Steel River delivering nearly 2 GW of solar in three years, Google is likely to continue prioritizing clean energy and battery storage.