Photo: Ørsted
The Mockingbird Solar Center, Ørsted's largest solar project in the world, is now online, alongside a protected plateau donated by the renewable energy giant.
The massive 468 megawatt (MW) solar farm is slated to power 80,000 homes and businesses, providing a major boost to the Texas grid.
But the launch of Mockingbird Solar isn't just about clean energy – it's about restoring precious nature. Ørsted donated 953 acres of Smiley-Woodfin Native Prairie Grassland, adjacent to the solar plant, to The Nature Conservancy. The donated land is now the Smiley Meadow Preserve, a protected area of tall grass that is home to more than 400 species of grasses and wildflowers.
Tallgrass prairies are one of the rarest ecosystems in the US, with less than 1% of Texas' land remaining. Tallgrass prairie offers many ecological benefits, including storing carbon, preventing flooding, and providing important habitats for pollinators.
“Indigenous habitats are one of the rarest places left in Texas – so many people have never seen them,” said David Bezanson, director of conservation strategy for The Nature Conservancy in Texas. He added that saving Smiley Meadow would not only save one of the best remaining prairie remnants but also help restore other habitats and increase the region's biodiversity.
The Mockingbird Solar Center, a multibillion dollar project, is part of Ørsted's $20 billion plan to increase renewable energy production across the US. In addition to generating electricity, it will generate $75 million in local property taxes, benefiting schools and other public services. The project has also created over 550 construction jobs and will continue to be supported by ongoing staff.
Ørsted has worked with US companies, including First Solar, for solar panels and partnered with local businesses such as Drake Construction and Pfifer Farms for materials. It also awarded more than $50,000 to local volunteer departments in Roxton and Brookston.
With Mockingbird Solar now operational, Ørsted has more than 6 gigawatts of onshore wind, solar, and battery storage projects operating or under construction across the US.
Read more: Ørsted has acquired a massive Tesla battery storage system for the world's largest offshore wind farm
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