Microsoft, Sol Systems Partners for Solar Power Project worth 500 MW

Microsoft Corp has announced that it will be purchasing electricity for more than 500 MW of solar PV parks that Sol Systems will install across the US.

The parties have contracted a power purchase agreement (PPA) with an indefinite term that will see the software giant purchase the entire output of the plants. The contract was announced by Washington-based solar installer Sol Systems, which will take care of financing, developing, building and operating the capacity.

The sites of the proposed projects were not provided. Though, Microsoft said in a separate press release that some of the projects will be positioned in communities that have been “unduly affected by environmental challenges.” The portfolio signifies the largest single renewables investment by Microsoft, it further.

The capacity will be installed in phases and will be conveyed over the next several years. The electricity it will produce will be correspondent to the annual power consumption of more than 70,000 US homes.

The partnership foresees an investment of at least $50 million for community-led grants and investments for education, career training, land restoration and clean energy and efficiency programmes.

The initiative will enable Microsoft in meeting its goal of supplying 100% of its power demand from renewable energy by 2025 and become carbon-negative by 2030. Before the latest deal, the company had acquired around 1.9 GW of renewables electricity for its operations.