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

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.

  • KtMmLLBz-marker

    Site Selection & preliminary design

  • 4Ti0zG5k-design

    Stakeholder outreach

  • 9tguFMyH-planning

    Permitting & environmental studies

  • RcLrW4w7-discharge

    Land management & biodiversity planning

  • sHrgbLFw-construction

    Final engineering, financing & construction

  • Operation

    Operation & maintenance

  • Decommissioning & recycling

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.

In 2021, during winter storm Uri, the Impact Solar farm was used in a case study by the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) to highlight the benefits of solar and  energy diversification during extreme weather events.

  • 260MWᴅᴄ
    /198MWᴀᴄ capacity
  • 318,000
    metric tons of CO2 saved per year
  • 68,700
    fuel-burning cars taken off road (equivalent)
  • 41,000
    equivalent US homes powered per year
  • 300
    local construction jobs created

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 & resources

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

Download Information Leaflet

 

Coverage

 

Stories

Find out more about our responsible solar approach.

14 Feb 2022

Preserving habitat and integrating agriculture at Impact Solar

Preserving habitat and integrating agriculture with multiple land use at Impact Solar  Multiuse solar provides a way for clean energy generation to share land with other activities, typically agriculture or…

29 Sep 2021

Mitigating the impacts of extreme weather on solar farms

Building more resilient solar projects in the age of climate change    Climate change is increasing the spread, frequency, and severity of extreme weather conditions around the world.  Solar energy…

09 Sep 2021

Video: A day in the life of a solar farm

A day in the life of a solar farm: 260MW Impact solar in Texas, USA Hear from the people who are operating and maintaining Lightsource bp's 260 megawatt Impact Solar…
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Videos of our Impact Solar project

Here are some project specific updates:

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Introducing Impact Solar

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

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Boosting biodiversity

At Impact Solar, we're planting wildflowers to support bees and other pollinators

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Supporting generational farmland

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

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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.

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Withstanding extreme weather on solar farms

Impact Solar provided power during Winter Storm Uri in 2021.

Gallery

FAQs

We’ve received lots of interest in our Impact Solar Project, so we’ve put together a list of the most commonly asked questions, and their answers.

FAQs

Get in touch

If you’d like to find out more about this project, email info@lightsourcebp.com, or fill out the form below. We aim to get back to you within five working days.

In the community

We construct our solar farms with a view to improving soil health, fostering biodiversity, and strengthening local economies. From ecological assessments to community engagement, we do our best to create solar farms that local communities can be proud of.

Learn more about our communities

Take a look at some of our other projects

We work with businesses and communities around the world to create low carbon, solar energy projects that make a difference.

See more of our USA solar projects