The two utility-scale projects are the 163 MW Starr Solar in Starr County and the 125 MW Second Division Solar in Brazoria County. These two projects combined can generate enough homegrown electricity to power more than 50,000 homes annually while offsetting 381,000 metric tons of carbon emissions each year - the equivalent of removing 82,000 fuel-burning cars from the road.
With this expansion, Lightsource bp’s operational fleet in Texas has now grown to 1,051 megawatts, further diversifying and strengthening the state’s electric grid. The company’s projects are known for their resilience and reliability, playing a vital role in keeping the power on during extreme weather events such as the winter storms Uri and Heather and recent heat waves, as well as mitigating price spikes when Texans need it most.
“Our solar projects are a testament to the power of private investment in strengthening energy security and supporting economic growth” said Helen Brauner, interim COO for Lightsource bp USA. “By delivering reliable, homegrown energy, we’re helping Texas build a more resilient grid while creating opportunities for American manufacturing and local communities.”
The portfolio is situated within critical energy communities, and supports US domestic manufacturing with solar panels from Arizona-based First Solar and smart solar trackers from New Mexico-based Array Technologies.
The solar panels deployed by Lightsource bp are mounted on posts that use less than 5 percent of the land, preserving ample space for vegetation to thrive. With a focus on enhancing biodiversity within the first five years of operation, ongoing land stewardship initiatives across the Starr and Second Division projects include pollinator-friendly habitats with a custom seed mix planted beneath the panels, integrated agriculture through sheep grazing, set to begin in 2025, habitat structures designed to support small mammal populations and wetland enhancement, protecting an adjacent wetland complex with vegetative filter strips and pollinator habitat to improve water quality.
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