Clean energy developer EDP Renewables North America (EDPR NA) announced the delivery of three new solar projects in Illinois and Texas totalling 400 MW, with Microsoft purchasing 389 MW of electricity and renewable energy credits (RECs) from the projects through long-term virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs).

The three new projects include the 140 MW Wolf Run Solar Project, and the 110 MW Hickory Solar Project both located in southern Illinois, and the 150 MW Cattlemen II Solar Project located near Austin, Texas.

The two Illinois projects created 500 construction jobs the companies said. The projects have also contributed $4.8 million to landowners, who lease a portion of their land to the projects, and millions of dollars to local governments through tax payments. Those payments, the companies said, ensure that critical services, schools, road maintenance, and other local initiatives are well-funded. The companies added that Cattlemen II in Texas will also contribute millions in taxes, benefiting the local school district and local government. That project created approximately 300 construction jobs.

The operations of these three projects will continue to increase local spending at service providers, restaurants, hotels, and other retailers near the project communities, with more than $10.4 million spent to date during construction, the companies added.

Sandhya Ganapathy, CEO of EDP Renewables North America, said:

“The importance of ensuring benefits flowing from renewable energy development directly into communities has never been more important. Through these three additional projects, we’re keeping our promise – and indeed the industry’s promise – to contribute to the nation’s growing energy demand and in that process invest in long-lasting economic growth of our communities.”

For the Hickory project, EDPR NA and Microsoft used an Environmental Justice PPA (EJ PPA), developed by Microsoft and Volt Energy Utility, LLC (Volt Energy Utility), a minority-owned renewable energy developer focused on making clean energy investments in communities disproportionately impacted by pollution and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

With the EJ PPA, Hickory will contribute funding to enable Sharing the Power Foundation, a non-profit that seeks to advance environmental justice and contribute to an equitable distribution of benefits produced by the clean energy economy. The funding will help provide financial assistance to organizations and causes that ensure equal access to clean air, water, and renewable energy, as well as offer availability to energy assistance programs and opportunities to pursue workforce training in clean energy careers.

The companies said that in addition to providing clean energy and economic growth, the projects will also support Microsoft’s sustainability and carbon reduction goals. In 2021, Microsoft launched a “100/100/0 clean energy goal,” with the company targeting having 100% of its electricity consumption, 100% percent of the time, matched by purchases from zero carbon energy sources by 2030, adding to its prior commitment to use 100% renewable energy in its buildings and datacenters globally by 2025. Microsoft has also committed to become carbon negative by 2030, and to cover 100% of its electricity consumption in its buildings and datacenters globally with renewable energy by 2025.

Kourtney Nelson, Senior Director of Renewable Energy Procurement at Microsoft, said:

“It’s exciting when projects achieve commercial operations and begin generating clean energy in support of grid decarbonization. We’re pleased with EDPR NA and Volt Energy Utility’s collaboration on Hickory and the positive impact the project will have with community grants and investing in future renewable energy leaders.”