This week, Meta has signed three contracts to supply nearly 1 gigawatt of solar energy, marking a significant step towards meeting the increasing demands of its data centers and artificial intelligence projects. By 2025, the company has already acquired over 3 GW of solar power. This was reported by TechCrunch.

Solar energy has become a primary resource for tech companies due to its relatively low cost and quick construction. This makes it an optimal choice amid the rapid growth of data centers.

On October 27, Meta announced an agreement to purchase 600 megawatts of power from a large solar facility in Texas, expected to be operational by 2027. While it won’t be directly connected to the company’s data centers, the generated energy will feed into the local grid, offsetting the consumption of these facilities.

On October 30, the company announced two contracts in Louisiana for the purchase of environmental attributes totaling 385 megawatts. These projects are expected to conclude in two years. In this case, it is not about the physical supply of energy but rather the acquisition of certificates that allow the company to account for the use of “green” energy from renewable sources instead of fossil fuels.

These certificates, known as Environmental Attribute Certificates (EACs), emerged years ago when renewable energy was more expensive than traditional sources. They enabled companies to pay for the additional costs associated with renewable energy and stimulated the development of such projects.

However, the current costs of solar and wind generation have significantly decreased, leading experts to question how effective EACs are in driving the emergence of additional renewable capacities.

Experts emphasize that if companies wish to offset rising electricity consumption due to advancements in artificial intelligence, they should invest in new renewable stations rather than merely purchasing certificates.