Briar Creek Solar | 153MW in Texas
Innovative power contract for solar project located about 40 miles south of Dallas
Abou the Briar Creek Solar project
Lightsource bp’s 153 megawatt Briar Creek solar farm in Navarro County, Texas finished construction and entered full commercial operation at the end of 2021. The electricity generated by the project is contracted under a proxy generation power purchase agreement (pgPPA) with the Capital Solutions unit of Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), in partnership with Nephila Climate. The project generates clean and affordable electricity that provides local economic benefits to the Dallas Fort Worth area.
A pgPPA is similar to a virtual PPA, except it settles energy on proxy generation rather than metered generation. Proxy generation is an hourly index that specifies the volume of energy that a project would have produced if it had been operated as specified by the developer or owner. This innovative renewable energy contract structure is intended to manage weather related supply and volume risk.
Lightsource bp is committed to being a long-term partner of the local communities in the Dallas Fort Worth area. Briar Creek is expected to generate $19.7 million in property tax revenue to Navarro County over its life, benefitting local schools and other community public services. Additionally, this solar project created about 250 jobs during construction and was part of a multi-project financing package which brought $380 million of private capital investment in new, local energy infrastructure for Texas.
153MWᴅᴄ
/127MWᴀᴄ home-grown renewable energy
223,440 metric tons
carbon emissions abated each year for healthier air
27,270
homes powered per hear (equivalent)
250
jobs created during construction, supporting local workers
$19.7M
to local government agencies in revenue over the project's lifetime
Site selection & preliminary design
Stakeholder outreach
Permitting & environmental studies
Land management & biodiversity planning
Final engineering, financing & construction
Operation & maintenance
Operation & maintenance
Community support: Social & environmental benefits for Texas
The project is bringing numerous social and environmental benefits to Texas communities, in addition to improving air quality by reducing carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation.
- Briar Creek Solar is the home of our first solar beekeeping operation in the U.S. One of the families leasing land to the project keeps hives of bees at the solar farm, producing honey as a way to grow the family business.
- Family farms tend flocks of sheep across the full Briar Creek solar site, helping manage vegetation through paid grazing contracts. Several of these families are also leasing their own land to the solar farm. These partners may see as many as three revenue streams from their land: lease payments, grazing contracts and agricultural products.
- Native vegetation, including several types of grasses and the Texas Bluebonnet flowers grow under and around the solar panels.
- Lightsource bp is a proud supporter of the Italy Independent School District in Ellis County. Our donation is supporting renovations to special education facilities, where students with disabilities will have a place to practice and acquire independent life skills.
Texas solar stories
Find out more about our Responsible Solar approach in action at our Texas solar farms
Video: Meet families raising sheep on solar farms
Solar grazing brings new hope to America's farmers
Community dialogue – we want to be a good neighbor
We have a dedicated Community Relations team that’s here to answer your questions and ensure that Lightsource bp is an active member in your community. To connect with a Community Relations Manager please email USCommunityRelations@lightsourcebp.com.
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Information and resources
We’ve put together a collection of resources for anyone who’d like to know more about utility-scale solar energy.
Solar farm FAQs
We’ve put together a list of the most commonly asked questions, and their answers.
Solar energy basics
National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL)
Lightsource bp educational materials
Solar panel safety and recycling
