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OKIsItJustMe

(21,016 posts)
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 04:11 PM Nov 26

PR: Orsted's largest solar farm will power 80,000 Texas homes and businesses while supporting conservation of rare, nati

https://us.orsted.com/news-archive/2024/11/orsted-celebrates-commencement-of-the-mockingbird-solar-center-and-completion-of-land-donation
Ørsted Celebrates Commencement of the Mockingbird Solar Center and Completion of Land Donation to The Nature Conservancy

11.21.2024 01:30PM

Ørsted’s largest solar farm will power 80,000 Texas homes and businesses while supporting conservation of rare, native tallgrass prairie habitat

PARIS, Texas – November 21, 2024 – Ørsted, a leading developer of U.S. renewable energy, today celebrated the commencement of the Mockingbird Solar Center in Lamar County, Texas. With a capacity of 468 MW, the Mockingbird Solar Center is Ørsted’s largest solar project to date, generating domestic energy that will help meet growing demand. The company is also celebrating the completion of a 953-acre land donation to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) for conservation. This donation establishes the Smiley Meadow Preserve, a new protected area that conserves vital tallgrass prairie habitat, supporting biodiversity and ecosystem health in the region.

“We are delighted to commission Ørsted’s largest solar project and deliver domestic and reliable energy to the Texas grid,” said Melissa Peterson, Head of Onshore Development and Origination at Ørsted. “We are very proud of this transformative project. In addition to progressing our goal of building out more American energy, we were able to form a meaningful partnership with The Nature Conservancy, advance our biodiversity commitment and preserve an important piece of Texas’ land and heritage for future generations.”

To celebrate this important conservation initiative and the economic benefits the project will bring to the local community, Ørsted hosted a celebration attended by The Nature Conservancy, corporate partners, landowners, community members, and local and state elected officials. Ørsted hosted the event at the site of the newly established Smiley Meadow Preserve.

“Through the power of partnership, Ørsted has helped The Nature Conservancy protect an irreplaceable landscape that might otherwise have been lost to development,” said Suzanne Scott, The Nature Conservancy’s Texas State Director. “We are deeply grateful for Ørsted’s willingness to work with us in preserving this pristine prairie, advancing beneficial outcomes for Texas’ ecology and our economy. This project exemplifies the value of collaborative conservation in our state.”

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