Fossil fuel giant bp plc has started constructing a 187 MW DC solar power plant in Texas, US with all of the electricity generated to be sold to a petrochemical complex. This agrivoltaic facility is being developed and constructed by bp's joint venture (JV) partner Lightsource bp.
Being constructed at Corpus Christi in San Patricio County, the project will have native vegetation planted under and around the solar panels along with sheep grazing to keep the farmland in production.
Entire power generated by First Solar modules deployed on GameChange Solar trackers for the project will be purchased by the Gulf Coast Growth Ventures (GCGV) to supply to the complex.
Commissioned in January 2022, the petrochemical complex produces materials used in packaging, agricultural film, construction materials, clothing, and automotive coolants. GCGV is a JV between Exxon Mobil and Saudi Arabia's SABIC.
"Once online, the solar-generated electricity will be used to partially power our plant and help reduce emissions in support of a net-zero future," said GCGV President Paul Fritsch. The project partners have not specified the duration of the offtake agreement.
Part of bp's aim to grow its renewable energy capacity to 50 GW by 2030, the Peacock Solar Project is scheduled to come online in H2/2024.
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