Total’s U.S. solar fleet is set to expand, with the company announcing on February 5 that it has acquired an additional 2.2 GW in Texas. This is in addition to 600 MW of battery storage assets also in Texas. Following the announcement of a joint venture in solar energy with the American company 174 Power Global, Total is expanding its portfolio with SunChase Power and MAP RE/ES.
Total’s U.S. solar fleet expands by 2.2 GW
Total will expand its U.S. solar fleet with an additional 2.2 GW of solar projects. These are being acquired from SunChase Power, an energy project developer, and MAP RE/ES, a private investment company. The compensation paid by Total to these two companies will be staggered as the projects progress.
Construction to begin in 2021
The portfolio consists of four large-scale solar projects, each with battery energy storage systems. Located in industrial areas near Houston, the first two projects are scheduled to begin construction in 2021. The other two will be commissioned between 2023 and 2024.
Total Commits to the U.S. Energy Transition
Total has also committed to purchase 1 GW from this portfolio to cover the electricity consumption of its U.S. industrial sites. These include the Port Arthur refining and petrochemical platform and the La Porte and Carville petrochemical sites. This is also in line with the group’s ambitions to be carbon neutral by 2050.
35 GW in the United States by 2025
For Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of Total, this investment in the U.S. solar park reflects Total’s commitment to meeting the challenges of energy transition. In this sense, Total is already developing nearly 4 GW of renewable energy production capacity in the United States. The ultimate goal is to reach 35 GW in operation by 2025.
Finally, this investment in the U.S. solar farm is a testament to Total’s green energy ambitions. Total wants to assert its position as a world leader in renewable energies.
