Microsoft Selects Supplier For Texas PPA That Provides 24/7 "Cocktail" Of Renewable Energy Supply, Said To Provide Zero Carbon, "As A Service"

Microsoft and ENGIE today announced a long-term solar and wind energy "as-consumed" power purchase agreement (PPA) that provides 24/7 supply in Texas

Microsoft will purchase a total of 230 MW from two ENGIE projects in Texas. Microsoft will purchase the majority of the output from the new 200 MW Las Lomas wind project, which will be located in Starr & Zapata Counties in south Texas. Microsoft will also purchase 85 MW from the 200 MW Anson Solar Center project, which will be built in Jones County in central Texas.

Both projects will be operated by ENGIE and are expected to come on-line in January 2021.

"This PPA includes an innovative volume firming agreement (VFA) that will convert the intermittent renewable energy supply into a fixed 24/7 power solution aligned with Microsoft’s energy needs," the companies said

Under the transaction, ENGIE takes on the risk to match the real production and real consumption profiles.

As such, ENGIE described the transaction as providing zero carbon, "as a service"

The companies said that the agreement provides a "platform" and example for similar future transactions

The companies described the PPA as a "cocktail" in providing both wind and solar, noting that most renewable PPAs are limited to one green source of energy

ENGIE and Microsoft also noted that ENGIE’s Darwin software, currently deployed on more than 15,000 MW of assets globally, enables real-time plant monitoring and control, reporting, forecasting, performance monitoring, and predictive maintenance, among many other benefits. Darwin relies on the latest Microsoft Azure cloud, AI and IoT services.

ENGIE alone has a program to build approximately 9,000 MW of new renewable energy projects from 2019-2021 globally, with 2,500 MW of new renewable capacity planned for North America. The company has an additional 10,000 MW of wind and solar projects in its broader development pipeline in the U.S. and Canada.