The newest project uses bifacial solar panels to maximize power generation and has the same capacity as the company's other two largest projects in the state, the Chico Solar Project and the Searcy Solar Farm.

Entergy expects to bring an additional 430 MW of solar capacity online in the state by year-end, and will add another 400 MW of solar capacity in 2025 as the company looks to expand its presence in Arkansas. It acquired the Walnut Bend project from developer Invenergy, which was responsible for the development, engineering and construction of the project.

“Our investments in these generation resources are instrumental in ensuring that the rates our customers pay are below regional and national averages and in enabling us to provide reliable, affordable and sustainable service to our customers across the state,” said Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas.

Ammper Power sells power from upcoming project in Texas

In Texas, Ammper Power has signed a power purchase agreement to purchase all the electricity to be generated at a project in the state that is scheduled to begin commercial operations in the fourth quarter of 2025. The company said it will facilitate the “sale of solar energy” to Texas consumers through the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid, which serves 90% of Texas energy consumers.

Although the company did not provide any details, such as the developer of the project or its customers, describing them only as “commercial and industrial customers and government organizations,” the news will be a positive development for the Texas power grid, which saw record-breaking solar power numbers earlier this year but has struggled with some grid connectivity and reliability issues in recent years.

Ammper Power is the U.S. subsidiary of Mexican energy company Ammper Energia, which has invested in power generation capacity in its home country and has sought to expand its presence in other North American markets in recent years.

“This transaction demonstrates Ammper's commitment to the ERCOT market and exemplifies its dedication to driving the energy transition and enabling customers to use sustainable solutions,” said John Werner, vice president of business development at Ammper. “By offering renewable energy options like solar, we can not only support our customers' goals, but also promote a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for Texas and beyond.”

Elawan signs PPA to power Google

Spanish developer Elawan Energy has signed a power purchase agreement with Google to supply electricity from an “advanced stage” solar project in Texas. The company currently operates a 1.8 GW renewable energy portfolio, has another 8 GW in the pipeline and plans to bring its Texas plant online in 2026.

The deal was completed through LevelTen Energy's Accelerated Process (LEAP), a program LevelTen Energy introduced last year to reduce delays in signing renewable energy PPAs. The company notes that using its program, which includes standardized PPA formats “to reflect the realities of current market conditions,” can reduce the time to close a PPA by as much as 80%.

The growth of this program could be particularly significant for the solar sector as interest in corporate PPAs increases, a generation of companies new to solar that has yet to learn the intricacies of offtake agreements. Earlier this year, Jason Kaminsky, CEO of kWh Analytics, said, PV Technology Premium that “creating the right framework” is a key priority for the solar industry and the PPA sector and projects such as LEAP could be an important means of achieving this goal.

The breadth and depth of solar PPAs is evident in the range of deals announced over the summer, with both Adani and Microsoft signing significant deals in recent months.