Meta to add 100MW of solar power from US gear to back SC AI data center

TL;DR

• Meta signs a $100 million deal with Silicon Ranch to build a 100 MW solar farm in South Carolina to power a planned AI data center.
• The project is expected to begin operations in 2027, alongside the data center, which is estimated to cost $800 million.
• Most equipment for the solar farm will be manufactured in the United States.
• This is Meta’s 18th agreement with Silicon Ranch, part of a broader renewables push that has driven over $2.5 billion in investments and more than 2 GW of solar capacity added this year.

Context and background

Meta has been expanding its investment in solar power as part of its broader sustainability and data-center strategy. The company’s renewable-energy program includes multiple partnerships with developers to scale solar capacity across the United States. In 2025, Meta disclosed several deals with renewable developers, including a string of projects across states such as Ohio, Kansas, Texas, and more, to meet its net-zero carbon pledges and to reduce the time required to power new data centers. These investments align with industry trends where hyperscalers leverage solar to align with climate goals and to maintain cost-competitive power for large-scale infrastructure. The strategy emphasizes two core advantages: meeting net-zero pledges and leveraging solar’s cost advantages to accelerate power-onset timelines for new facilities. Meta’s ongoing collaborations with Silicon Ranch mark a continued expansion in U.S.-based solar deployment and local manufacturing of critical equipment. The broader fleet of deals with other developers has contributed to a cumulative investments figure cited by Silicon Ranch and underscores Meta’s rapid build-out of renewables to support its data-center footprint. TechCrunch

What’s new

Meta has signed a deal with Silicon Ranch to develop a $100 million, 100-megawatt solar farm in South Carolina. The installation is planned to power Meta’s AI data center in the state, which Meta estimates will cost around $800 million. Both the solar project and the data center are expected to commence operations in 2027. An important detail is that most of the solar farm equipment will be manufactured in the United States. The agreement with Silicon Ranch adds to Meta’s ongoing renewables program and represents the 18th such agreement between the two parties. The developer highlighted that these and related deals have helped spur more than $2.5 billion in investments and noted that Meta has added over 2 gigawatts of solar capacity this year alone. The company also cited that in 2027 it will be expanding its solar footprint through additional projects in other states. In addition to the Kentucky/Ohio region deals with Invenergy announced in June and the Kansas/Texas projects with AES announced in May, Meta is pursuing further solar capacity in Texas in collaboration with Engie and Zelestra for nearly 800 MW. The company describes solar power as a practical means to stay aligned with net-zero commitments and as a fast-deployable source of low-cost energy to reduce the time-to-power bottleneck that historically accompanies new data-center builds. TechCrunch

Why it matters (impact for developers/enterprises)

• Reliability and speed of deployment: Solar projects tied to data centers can shorten the time-to-power, addressing a key bottleneck in bringing online new facilities. This is especially relevant for hyperscalers seeking rapid expansion of compute capacity.
• Domestic manufacturing: The emphasis on U.S.-made equipment supports regional manufacturing and supply chain resilience for large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Cost considerations: Solar power remains a cost-advantaged energy source for powering data centers, contributing to long-term operational savings as part of a broader sustainability strategy.
• Scale and replication: The 18th agreement with Silicon Ranch highlights a scalable model for partnerships between cloud companies and renewable developers to accelerate capacity and investment across multiple states.

Technical details or Implementation

• Project size: 100 MW solar farm in South Carolina.
• Data center: Planned AI data center in South Carolina with estimated cost of $800 million.
• Timeline: Both the solar farm and the data center are expected to begin operations in 2027.
• Manufacturing focus: Most equipment for the solar farm will be manufactured in the United States.
• Partnerships: This marks Meta’s 18th agreement with Silicon Ranch; Meta has multiple other solar initiatives with Invenergy (Ohio), AES (Kansas and Texas), Engie and Zelestra (Texas).

Key takeaways

• Meta continues to scale domestic solar capacity through long-term partnerships with U.S. developers.
• The company links renewables to accelerate data-center power availability and to meet climate commitments.
• The 100 MW SC project demonstrates a broader portfolio of deals across multiple states, reinforcing a diversified clean-energy strategy.
• Equipment localization in the U.S. supports regional manufacturing ecosystems and supply-chain resilience.
• The combined value of Meta’s solar deals underlines the company’s active role in pushing for rapid deployment of renewables to power AI infrastructure.

References

• https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/20/meta-to-add-100-mw-of-solar-power-from-u-s-gear