This 100 MWac solar project, part of the TVA Green Invest program, supplies carbon-free energy (CFE) to Google’s data centers in Montgomery County, Tennessee, and Jackson County, Alabama.
“This Skyhawk Solar project is critical in our progress towards Google’s 24/7 carbon-free energy goal in Tennessee and Alabama,” says Thomas Gamble, Data Center Facilities Manager at Google. “We are grateful for the partnership with TVA, Excelsior and Origis and look forward to continued effort to expand clean energy and decarbonize electricity grids in the communities we call home.”
Skyhawk Solar Now Supplying Google Data Centers with Carbon-free Energy, Press Release, 4.25.23
The Google facility in North Alabama powered by Skyhawk is believed to be the first data center to be located on a repurposed coal generation site.
Origis Energy developed and built the project. It is owned by Excelsior Energy Capital. Skyhawk Solar will be operated and maintained by Origis Services.
Origis provided construction oversight, contracting with Wanzek Construction to build out the facility.
Origis Energy developed and built the project. It is owned by Excelsior Energy Capital. Skyhawk Solar will be operated and maintained by Origis Services.
The project was built with American technology, using nearly 300,000 First Solar solar panels.
Origis provided construction oversight, contracting with Wanzek Construction to build out the facility.
In concert with Skyhawk Solar, Origis contributed $50,000 toward a campaign that will raise money to update Discovery Park of America's Energy Gallery.
The project was built with American technology, using nearly 300,000 First Solar solar panels.
In concert with Skyhawk Solar, Origis contributed $50,000 toward a campaign that will raise money to update Discovery Park of America's Energy Gallery.
The construction of the solar farm and its nearly 300,000 solar panels brought with it 300 construction jobs and $23 million in local economic benefits. Over the life of the project, Skyhawk Solar is expected to bring $31 million in total economic benefits to Northwest Tennessee and the surrounding area.
In June 2023, Discovery Park of America announced that Origis Energy contributed $50,000 toward a campaign that will raise money to update the museum and park’s Energy Gallery. This donation was made in concert with the Skyhawk Solar project.
Natacha Standaert, Origis Energy Philanthropic Initiative Manager, said “Origis is very pleased to support the educational work at Discovery Park. Helping young people and their families understand how clean energy projects are shaping environmental and economic gains in the communities in which they are located is important. This knowledge will spark curiosity, contribute to a better understanding of the changing energy industry and helps students identify new career paths. The platform Discovery Park has created reaches thousands of families from a wide area around Skyhawk Solar. We invite others to join us in supporting the updated Energy Gallery initiative.”
Skyhawk Solar is a key part of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Google has also announced a goal to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy globally by 2030. Origis Energy is helping TVA and Google, one of the utility’s largest offtakers, meet these goals by using solar-generated renewable energy to power both the grid and Google’s energy-intensive data centers. The 100-megawatt Skyhawk solar farm will power Google’s TN and AL data centers as well as more than 30,000 homes during its decades of operation.
