UNITED STATES

Impact solar

260MW of affordable, clean and locally generated electricity for Texas communities

Key numbers

260MWᴅᴄ

/198MWᴀᴄ capacity

318,000

metric tons of CO2 saved per year

68,700

fuel-burning cars taken off road (equivalent)

41,100

equivalent US homes powered per year

300

local construction jobs created

Current status

Site selection & preliminary design

Stakeholder outreach

Permitting & environmental studies

Land management & biodiversity planning

Final engineering, financing & construction

Operation & maintenance

Decommissioning & recycling

Our Impact Solar project is located in Lamar County, Texas, 120 miles northeast of Dallas. Construction was successfully completed at the end of 2020, and the project is in full commercial operation.

The majority of the energy generated by the 260 megawatt solar project is contracted through a long-term agreement with bp. The project represents an investment of $250 million in the Texas region, with over 300 workers on site during construction.

Enhancing resilience of landowners and their land

Impact Solar is on land that is leased to Lightsource bp from local landowners, providing families with a diversified source of reliable income for 25 or more years, and helping keep the land in the family for generations. For many farmers, the revenue from leasing a portion of their land for solar as a new type of crop can help them continue with their farming business.

Lightsource bp will boost biodiversity around the site by planting wildflowers to support bees and other pollinators, creating bird and bat shelters, and providing habitat for reptiles and amphibians. These initiatives were carefully designed to help improve and maintain the local ecosystem.

Linda and Stacy Musgrove, landowners: “It’s security for our children and grandchildren, who will all benefit. And we’re still going to be ranchers and have cattle in front of the solar, so it’s the best of both worlds.”

Gerald Cooper, landowner: “With ranching or farming, there’s no guarantee of income. You make your own check out of dirt. With solar, you’re guaranteed a check at the end of the year. I still enjoy farming, but solar has allowed me to enjoy it more because I don’t have the dread of the market dropping or of drought, which has been our biggest challenge.”

Joy Cooper, landowner: “Our dad was born on the land, which has been in our family for over 100 years. With solar, we’re able to keep the land in the family. The number one thing is that we will still have a connection to the land, and we’re comfortable that Lightsource bp will be good stewards.”

Information and resources

We’ve put together a collection of resources for anyone who’d like to know more about our Impact Solar project

 

Solar farm FAQs

We’ve put together a list of the most commonly asked questions, and their answers.

Stories

Find out more about our Responsible Solar approach

Videos of our Impact Solar project

Here are some project specific updates:

Supporting generational farmland

At Impact Solar, we’re helping local farmers keep their land and continue to farm.

A day in the life of a solar farm

Hear from the people who are operating and maintaining Lightsource bp’s 260 megawatt Impact solar farm in Texas.

Withstanding extreme weather on solar farms

Impact Solar provided power during Winter Storm Uri in 2021.

Raising sheep on solar farms

Impact Solar is the largest year-round solar grazing site in the USA

Gallery

Get in touch

If you’d like to find out more about this project, email USCommunityRelations@lightsourcebp.com. We aim to get back to you within five working days.

If you are a member of the media, please visit our Press Center.