Mockingbird Solar Center

Construction timeline

January 2023
Site Preparation

January 2023 – February 2024
Clearing and Civil Work

July 2023 – July 2024
Piles and Racking Installation

July 2023 – February 2024
Collection System Installation

April 2023 – March 2024
Substation and High Voltage Construction

April 2024 – October 2024
Energization and Commissioning

About the project

Located in Lamar County, Texas, the approximately 471 MWAC Mockingbird Solar Center will have the capability to power over 80,000 homes over the course of a year and help meet the energy needs of Texas during peak demand periods by providing reliable and flexible solarpowered electricity. Ørsted, a leading developer of wind and solar projects across the United States and globally, will construct, own, and operate the Mockingbird Solar Center.

The project is a long-term asset for Ørsted and the Lamar County community. The solar center will inject new revenue into the tax base which will promote local economic development in Lamar County, and provide long-term financial support for North Lamar and Chisum Independent School Districts.

Energy investment in Lamar County

The Mockingbird Solar Center will provide a significant economic boost to the local community in Lamar County. The project is expected to inject approximately $215 million into the local economy over the life of the project, creating a new stream of stable tax revenue for the North Lamar & Chisum Independent School Districts and other taxing entities. The project will also hire at least 200 jobs during construction and will require ongoing support for operations and maintenance.

Name:	Mockingbird Solar Center
Location:	Lamar County, Texas
Capacity:	471 megawatt (MW_AC)
Owner & Developer:	Ørsted Onshore North America
Interconnection via:	Oncor Electric Delivery Company
Operations:	Estimated 2024

Stewardship of the land

Ørsted is dedicated to being a good steward of the land when developing, constructing, and operating a safe and reliable solar energy system. During construction and throughout project operations, Ørsted prioritizes best in class site management, safety, and security.

Ørsted also understands the importance of native grasslands to Lamar County and we are dedicated to promoting the habitat's conservation. That is why we have decided to purchase almost 1,000 acres of the Smiley-Woodfin Native Prairie Grassland adjacent to the Mockingbird Solar Center and donate the land to The Nature Conservancy to preserve in perpetuity.

Prairies are valuable, productive ecosystems that provide numerous benefits, from flood prevention and water filtration to carbon storage. They also provide habitat for populations of birds, monarch butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Unfortunately, prairies are a threatened ecosystem in the U.S. The Ørsted-TNC preservation effort will be the largest preservation effort on record for this type of native prairie.

Benefits of partnering with Ørsted

As a long-term operator of solar and wind projects, Ørsted is committed to the highest quality standards of project construction and safety. With extensive experience in a variety of regions, landowners can be confident our projects will be designed carefully to ensure the protection of roads, minimize impacts on neighbors, and preserve the integrity of the soil and land. These standards start with the first steps of development and lasts until the project is decommissioned.

Utility-scale solar facilities are also a highly productive, low-impact use of the property that contribute to the region's economic development. We are proud to work with landowners across Texas who host our projects, including the Buster Family in Lamar County.

“

Five generations of the Buster Family have lived and worked in and around Lamar County since the early 1900's. We are excited about the benefits that (the project) will bring to the county, local schools, and local businesses

– Mark Buster and Family, Lamar County Texas

Examples:

Procurement of solar panels from Tier 1 manufacturers that adhere to the highest quality standards
Local procurement of materials and local hiring, when possible
Highest Safety and Construction standards
Regular deployment of Operation & Maintenance staff to ensure site safety and peak performance
24/7 system monitoring to track performance and proactively detect any issues

Good Neighbors

Throughout the construction and operations of the Mockingbird Solar Center, Ørsted will hold regular meetings with County officials to discuss any concerns that may arise. Company representatives are also available to meet directly with nearby neighbors to address their concerns.

We are grateful for our supporters in Lamar County, including the Paris Economic Development Corporation Board, which passed a Resolution in support of the project on September 15, 2020.

View the resolution

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Why Solar

A utility-scale solar energy project can help transform local economies, which enhances the quality of life and opportunities in a community. With millions of dollars in new tax revenue (or directed payments in lieu of taxes) communities can build new school facilities, enhance roads and bridges, and expand emergency services – all without increasing local taxes on property.

Solar delivers affordable clean energy via predictable contracts that do not fluctuate over time. The cost of installing a ground-mounted, utility-scale solar project has declined by 70% over the last ten years. These declines, combined with an unlimited and abundant free fuel source, make solar financially competitive with conventional power plants. Utilities and large companies across the country are taking advantage of this to procure a long-term, fixed-price supply of electricity.

About Ørsted

The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs, and operates offshore and onshore wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, renewable hydrogen and green fuels facilities, and bioenergy plants. Moreover, Ørsted provides energy products to its customers. Ørsted is the only energy company in the world with a science-based net-zero emissions target as validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and Ørsted aims to deliver a net-positive biodiversity impact from all new renewable energy projects it commissions from 2030 at the latest. Ørsted is recognized on the CDP Climate Change A List as a global leader on climate action. Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted employs over 8,000 people. Ørsted's shares are listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (Orsted). In 2021, the group's revenue was DKK 77.7 billion (EUR 10.4 billion).

For more information on Ørsted, visit us.orsted.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.

Contact us

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