Energy Efficiency, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  July 18, 2018

Facebook plans six solar projects to power data centers in Oregon

Facebook has announced it will finance construction of six large solar projects that will generate 437 megawatts of power for its Prineville, Oregon campus, home of three existing and two more planned data centers.

A report by the Oregonian said two of the projects will be built near downtown Prineville, while four will contribute to PacifiCorp’s electrical grid in Utah. The power generated by the six projects will cover all the energy needs of the Prineville campus. Construction will begin next year with all six solar projects expected to generate power by 2020.

"Cost-effective, renewable energy is one of our priorities at all of our sites," said Peter Freed, Facebook's energy strategy manager. Facebook will contract with energy companies that will build, own, and operate the sites.

The Oregonian reports that Facebook has spent more than $1 billion on the campus, though the company declined to say how much it will cost to build the solar projects or how the cost of the clean energy will compare to what it pays now.

Prineville, with just 4,100 households, was home to Facebook's first data center in 2011.

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