{"id":82775,"date":"2025-06-04T16:28:16","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T20:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=82775"},"modified":"2025-06-04T16:28:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T20:28:16","slug":"pipeline-giant-enbridge-texas-solar-farm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=82775","title":{"rendered":"Pipeline giant Enbridge just lit up its first Texas solar farm"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"img-border featured-image\">\n\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"1600\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Photos-courtesy-Enbridge-solar-texas.jpg?quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1600\" class=\"skip-lazy wp-post-image\" alt=\"Enbridge Texas solar\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Photos-courtesy-Enbridge-solar-texas.jpg?w=320&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Photos-courtesy-Enbridge-solar-texas.jpg?w=640&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Photos-courtesy-Enbridge-solar-texas.jpg?w=1024&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Photos-courtesy-Enbridge-solar-texas.jpg?w=1500&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><figcaption>\n\t\t\t\tPhotos courtesy Enbridge\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Canadian oil and gas pipeline giant Enbridge just launched its first solar farm in Texas, adding more clean energy to its \u201call-of-the-above\u201d\u00a0energy mix, mainly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.enbridge.com\/reports\/2024-sustainability-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fossil fuels<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span id=\"more-419090\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Enbridge\u2019s Orange Grove Solar project in Jim Wells County now sends up to 130 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity to the Texas ERCOT grid. That\u2019s enough to power around 24,000 homes. Roughly 300,000 solar panels stretch across 920 acres.<\/p>\n<p>AT&amp;T has signed a long-term virtual power purchase agreement for all the output from Orange Grove. That deal helps AT&amp;T reduce its carbon footprint and stabilize long-term energy costs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are pleased to be able to deliver additional zero-emission electricity into the grid in support of local and Texas state-wide economic growth and energy demand,\u201d said Matthew Akman, Enbridge\u2019s EVP of corporate strategy and president of its power business.<\/p>\n<p>\t<span class=\"outbrain-ad-label\">Advertisement &#8211; scroll for more content<\/span><\/p>\n<p>This isn\u2019t Enbridge\u2019s first dip into renewables: it bought its first wind farm in 2002, and it says its renewable assets are part of its plan to achieve net zero by 2050.<\/p>\n<p>But\u00a0Enbridge is still ultimately best known for its oil and gas pipelines \u2013 and its troubled environmental history. In 1991, the company was responsible for the largest inland oil spill in the US, in Minnesota. It\u2019s faced criticism for other spills and environmental risks tied to its pipeline network, which is the longest across North America and the largest oil export pipeline network in the world.<\/p>\n<p>Enbridge is building a second, much larger solar farm southeast of Abilene in Callahan County. Called the Sequoia Solar project, it\u2019s expected to generate 815 MW of power \u2013 more than six times the size of Orange Grove \u2013 making it one of the biggest solar farms in North America once it\u2019s complete.<\/p>\n<p>Both projects are part of Enbridge\u2019s growing push into clean power, especially in Texas, where demand for electricity in the ERCOT market keeps climbing. It\u2019s a notable shift for a company still deeply rooted in fossil fuels without plans to abandon them. But it\u2019s now tapping into the sun as part of its evolving energy portfolio.<\/p>\n<p>Akman continued, \u201cEnbridge is proud to operate a wide range of critical energy infrastructure across the Gulf Coast area, including liquids pipelines and export facilities, natural gas pipelines and storage, as well as wind and now solar power.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energysage.com\/landing\/home-solar\/p\/electrek-rsm-ml\/?utm_medium=Partner&amp;utm_source=Electrek\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/DES-1038_Electrek-Banners_Resiliency_2550a5.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-419097\" srcset=\"https:\/\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/DES-1038_Electrek-Banners_Resiliency_2550a5.png 750w, https:\/\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/DES-1038_Electrek-Banners_Resiliency_2550a5.png?resize=150,30 150w, https:\/\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/DES-1038_Electrek-Banners_Resiliency_2550a5.png?resize=300,60 300w, https:\/\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/DES-1038_Electrek-Banners_Resiliency_2550a5.png?resize=350,70 350w, https:\/\/electrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/DES-1038_Electrek-Banners_Resiliency_2550a5.png?resize=140,28 140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/electrek.co\/2025\/05\/28\/texas-just-shot-its-wind-solar-boom-in-the-foot-on-purpose\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Texas just shot its wind + solar boom in the foot on purpose [Update]<\/a><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<p><em>To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energysage.com\/p\/electrek-rsm-ml\/\"><em> <\/em><em>EnergySage<\/em><\/a><em>, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it\u2019s free to use and you won\u2019t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you\u2019ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energysage.com\/p\/electrek-rsm-ml\/\"><em> <\/em><em>here<\/em><\/a><em>. \u2013trusted affiliate link*<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-disclaimer-container\" readability=\"6.3518518518519\">\n<p class=\"disclaimer-affiliate\"><em>FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/electrek.co\/about\/#affiliate\">More.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- post ad --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Photos courtesy Enbridge Canadian oil and gas pipeline giant Enbridge just launched its first solar farm in Texas, adding more clean energy to its \u201call-of-the-above\u201d\u00a0energy mix, mainly fossil fuels. Enbridge\u2019s Orange Grove Solar project in Jim Wells County now sends up to 130 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity to the Texas ERCOT grid. That\u2019s enough [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8313,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-e-cars"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=82775"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82775\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=82775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=82775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=82775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}