SB Energy Global, LLC (SB Energy) has announced that its Orion I, Orion II, and Orion III solar projects, collectively known as the Orion Solar Belt, have reached commercial operation in Milam County, Texas.
The projects boast a combined capacity of 875 MWdc and utilise over 1.3m American-made solar modules, US steel, and other domestically sourced components. They are also expected to be among the first to qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act’s domestic content bonus credit.
At the celebration of this milestone, US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm joined SB Energy leadership, state and local officials, American-made suppliers, and anchor customer Google. Granholm remarked:
“The Biden-Harris Administration envisioned an industrial strategy for clean energy that’s built and installed by American workers and powering American companies in proud American communities.
“This future is seen in action through the Orion Solar Belt in Texas.”
The Orion Solar Belt employed 3,000 US workers during its construction and component manufacturing.
Construction
The solar modules were produced by First Solar in Ohio, while the structural steel – 22,800 tons in total – was sourced from Gerdau’s steel mills in Texas and Georgia. Additionally, Nextracker supplied domestically manufactured smart solar trackers.
Rich Hossfeld, SB Energy’s Co-CEO, emphasised the company’s dedication to American jobs and power, saying, “SB Energy is committed to creating the roadmap. We are thankful for the support from Secretary Granholm, federal and local leaders, and Google.
“We hope the Orion Solar Belt serves as a catalyst for growing investments in a robust American-made supply chain for solar.”
The Orion Solar Belt supplies electricity to the Texas grid, helping power Google’s data centres. Google’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with SB Energy marks its largest solar energy investment globally, supporting its goal of carbon-free energy by 2030.
[Image: US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm joins SB Energy and other officials at the celebration. Image credit: SB Energy]
