Largest U.S. solar farm puts Midsouth — and data centers — within renewable energy reach

Cypress Creek Solar has commenced construction on the Steel River Energy Center, set to become the United States' largest solar farm. Located on 11,000 acres of former farmland near Wilson, Arkansas, within Mississippi County, the facility will feature three million solar panels capable of powering over 315,000 homes annually upon its projected 2029 completion.

A key aspect of this ambitious project is a power purchasing agreement with Google's new data center in West Memphis, Arkansas. Google has committed to sourcing 100% of its energy needs from solar, facilitated through Entergy Arkansas, the primary power provider in the state's eastern region. Cypress Creek CEO Kevin Smith clarified that the solar farm will connect to the Entergy Arkansas grid, with the data center drawing power from the same grid. The three-phase project totals approximately 2.5 gigawatts with 2.9 gigawatt-hours of battery storage, equivalent to powering roughly 300,000 Arkansas homes.

Smith highlighted that while environmental benefits are present, the primary drivers for solar's increasing adoption are affordability and job creation. The Steel River project is expected to generate about 700 construction jobs per phase and contribute an estimated $300 million in local tax revenue. The project also showcases American manufacturing, with structural steel components sourced from Big River Steel and PACO Steel and Engineering, both situated in Mississippi County, Arkansas. Smith noted that solar's cost-effectiveness makes it the cheapest energy form available, and its labor-intensive nature creates more jobs than conventional energy sources.