Google has signed a 150MW PPA with Orsted to purchase renewable energy generated by the 268MW Helena Wind Farm for the next 15 years.
The project was commissioned in mid-2022 and provides electricity to the South ERCOT service territory, enough to power an estimated 90,000 homes.
This marks the first agreement between Google and Orsted in the United States, and the second agreement globally.
Both PPAs will contribute to Google’s commitment to operate all its data centres, cloud regions and offices on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030.
Google energy lead Sanz Ouji said: “Building a 24/7 carbon-free energy portfolio requires us to blend various resources to optimize for hourly production, and that’s exactly what this project helps us accomplish.
“We’re excited to continue our partnership with Orsted and add this wind project to our existing solar portfolio in ERCOT as we serve customers out of our Dallas cloud region.”
Head of origination at Orsted Americas Monica Testa said: “As a trusted partner in providing clean energy solutions for our customers, we’re proud to support Google’s decarbonization goals on both a regional and global scale.
“Google’s leadership in the investment of renewable energy and commitment to advancing 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030 sets a strong example for companies across the globe and we look forward to helping them achieve that ambition.”
Helena Wind Farm is a 268MW wind farm located in Pawnee, Texas.
Nearly 300 jobs have been created to construct and operate the facility.
The facility represents a nearly half billion-dollar investment in Bee County and will generate tens of millions in tax revenue that will enhance county services, providing additional support for the local school districts without raising taxes.
Orsted has an ambition to reach 17.5GW of onshore renewables in 2030 and aims to deliver approximately 1.5GW of additional capacity annually whilst growing a clean energy portfolio consisting of wind, solar, storage and green hydrogen.