Meta has signed two Environmental Attribute Purchase Agreements (EAPA) with Sunraycer Renewables for the entire capacity of two solar projects in Texas.

Under the terms of the agreement, Meta will purchase 100 percent of the “environmental attributes” from the 127MWdc (97.5MWac) Midpoint Solar project in Hill County and the 184MWdc (143MWac) Gaia Solar project in Navarro County.

"This partnership with Meta underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality, utility-scale solar projects that drive the transition to clean energy," said David Lillefloren, CEO of Sunraycer. "We are proud to support ERCOT's energy diversification efforts, while helping Meta meet its ambitious sustainability goals."

Midpoint, which is located near the town of Blum, will deliver power directly to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid. The project, which is under construction, is expected to commence operations in late Q4 2025.

The Gaia project, which is located near the city of Kerens, will also deliver power to the ERCOT grid, and is expected to reach commercial operations in late Q4 2025.

"We're excited to support Sunraycer's efforts to bring two solar projects to the grid in Texas," said Urvi Parekh, global head of energy, Meta. "These projects will support our goals to match our operations with 100 percent clean and renewable energy."

Unlike a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), an EAPA does not involve purchasing electricity itself; instead, it involves purchasing its environmental benefits through renewable energy credits, with the power fed directly into the grid. EAPAs are often used as a means to support the construction of renewable energy assets.

However, critics contend that EAPAs lack effectiveness, transparency, and impact, leading some to conclude that they are merely another form of greenwashing.

Meta has increasingly shown a preference for EAPAs over PPAs over the last 12 months, especially within the Texan market.

In February, Meta signed an EAPA with Cypress Creek Renewables to support the construction of the 505MW Hanson Solar in Coleman County, Texas. Construction of the project is scheduled to begin later this year, with operations expected to commence in 2027.

Before this, in January, it signed four EAPAs with Spanish renewable energy developer Zelestra to facilitate the construction of four solar projects in Texas. The projects, located in Hopkins, Lamar, Lampasas, and Henderson Counties, have a combined capacity of 595MWac (720MWdc).

Finally, last November, Meta signed an EAPA with Engie North America for 260MW from Engie’s Sypert Branch solar project in Milam County, Texas. The 260MW project, located approximately 10 miles from Meta’s data center in Temple, is expected to commence operations in late 2025.