Ørsted has signed an 80 MW PPA with Bloomberg for renewable energy generated by the Mockingbird Solar Center, a 471 MW project currently under construction near Paris, Texas.
This is the company’s largest solar project in the U.S., as well as the company’s first project to incorporate conservation efforts with the protection of native prairie tallgrass. Bloomberg is one of four corporate customers buying power from the Mockingbird Solar Center, including Covestro and Royal DSM. The agreement brings the Mockingbird project to a fully contracted status for its 471 MW capacity.
One feature of the project is the agreement between Ørsted and The Nature Conservancy to preserve nearly 1,000 acres of rare, native tallgrass prairie adjacent to the project. Ørsted has purchased over half of the Smiley-Woodfin National Prairie Grassland and will donate the land to The Nature Conservancy once the project reaches operation.
“Ørsted’s commitment to the responsible development of clean energy at Mockingbird Solar Center demonstrates that conservation and clean energy can coexist,” says Ørsted’s Monica Testa. “We’re proud to partner with Bloomberg in support of their sustainability goals and thrilled to see companies continue to prioritize the responsible development of clean energy in line with nature.”
The Mockingbird Solar Center builds on the company’s existing footprint in Texas, which includes 12 wind, solar, and storage projects in operation or under construction across the state.
