Dallas-based Leeward Renewable Energy has completed construction and commenced operations at its 200-megawatt Horizon Solar Project near Pearsall in South Central Texas. The project will provide Verizon Communications with renewable energy under a previously announced purchase agreement.
“LRE is pleased to have completed another successful project that will provide our longstanding customer, Verizon, with renewable energy,” Omar Aboudaher, LRE’s SVP of development, said in a statement. “None of this would have been possible without the supportive, wonderful community in Frio County, who welcomed our team and this project.”
LRE said that throughout the operational lifespan of Horizon Solar, greenhouse gas emissions avoided are estimated to be equivalent to “powering 1.2 million Texan households.”
$30M in tax payments will support local county and schools
The project will provide numerous benefits to the local community, including roughly $30 million in tax payments that will directly support the local county and schools, LRE said.
During construction, the project created around 400 jobs, the company added.
“Today’s announcement underscores Verizon’s commitment to supporting a sustainable energy transition in the United States,” Verizon Chief Sustainability Officer Jim Gowen, who’s also SVP of global supply chain and sourcing, said in a statement. “Partnerships with leading companies like LRE helps us deliver on our energy and climate goals.”
Leeward Renewable Energy has implemented a variety of sustainable land management practices at Horizon Solar, including the introduction of sheep grazing for vegetation control in April 2024, a comprehensive biodiversity management plan, and the planting of pollinator-friendly native plant species.
The company owns and operates a portfolio of 31 wind, solar, and energy storage facilities across the U.S., totaling around 3 gigawatts of generating capacity. LRE said it’s “actively developing and contracting a robust pipeline of new renewable energy projects.”
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