AT&T moves closer to carbon neutral future with solar energy

AT&T is excited to announce the largest U.S. corporate solar energy deal to date, with a purchase of 500 megawatts of clean, solar electricity from Invenergy’s new Samson Solar Energy Center in Texas.1 The addition of solar energy to our renewable energy portfolio is an important piece of our journey to reach carbon neutrality across our global operations by 2035.

Together with other wind investments, the deal with Invenergy makes AT&T one of the largest corporate purchasers of renewable energy in the U.S2 with a clean power portfolio that has expanded to more than 1.5 gigawatts of capacity since 2018. These renewable energy purchases are expected to reduce emissions by an amount equivalent to providing electricity for more than 560,000 homes for a year.3

Invenergy, a leading developer and operator of sustainable energy solutions, announced its 1,310-megawatt Samson Solar Energy Center in Texas today, which will be the largest solar facility in the United States upon its completion in 2023. They also released their solar purchasers in today’s announcement of the facility. In 2019, we signed virtual power purchase agreements with Invenergy, which help us reduce our carbon footprint, hedge against rising energy costs and add more clean energy to the U.S. power grid.

Solar deals are not just good for the planet. Our deals create jobs, drive local economic development and improve the communities we serve. Samson Solar will support local economic development and expects to contribute nearly $450 million in landowner payments and local taxes over the life of the project

At AT&T, our commitment to the environment is as strong as our commitment to providing access to education and the training people need to get and keep good jobs. Clean-energy jobs are among the fastest-growing occupations in the U.S.4 That’s why we have provided scholarships and support for students seeking careers as solar panel installers and wind turbine technicians.

Our involvement in projects like the Samson Solar Energy Center is one of the ways we do our part to help address climate change. We are proud to join Invenergy and others in the business community in supporting America’s transition to a low-carbon economy and a more environmentally sustainable future.

1 Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance. REBA Deal Tracker. https://rebuyers.org/deal-tracker/ 2 Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance. REBA Deal Tracker. https://rebuyers.org/deal-tracker/ 3 AT&T Renewable Energy Microsite. https://about.att.com/csr/home/planet/renewable-energy.html 4 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fastest Growing Occupations. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/fastest-growing.htm