The Daily Dig
Apex Clean Energy announced a power purchase agreement with Meta on September 16, 2026, for the 144 MW Starling Solar project in Gonzales County, Texas. Under the deal, Meta holds exclusive rights to all of the project's environmental attributes, including every renewable energy credit.
According to Apex, Starling adds new generation to the local grid that wouldn't have been built without Meta's commitment.
The company says their focus is on delivering interconnected capacity that's ready to build on the fast timelines that customers with large power loads require.
Seventh Heaven
Starling marks the seventh transaction between the two companies. Their combined portfolio now totals approximately 1,200 MW across Texas, Virginia, Illinois, Kansas, and Iowa.
"Seven projects over nearly as many years speaks to a partnership built on shared principles of responsible building and disciplined execution," said Ken Young, CEO of Apex. "Starling brings new capacity to Texas and lasting value to Gonzales County long after construction wraps."
Paying It Local
For the field, the headline figure is 400 to 450 jobs during construction.
The local benefits stack up from there. According to Apex, the project will generate approximately $27 million in tax revenue over its lifetime, with $15.6 million of that going to local schools.
Landowners are set to receive more than $26.3 million in payments.
Nearly $400,000 in grant funding will support local organizations and conservation initiatives.
Amanda Yang, Meta's head of clean and renewable energy, said the best clean energy projects are the ones the surrounding community benefits from directly, and she pointed to school funding, landowner payments, and local hiring. "Starling brings all of that to Gonzales County, along with new solar generation for a Texas grid," she said.
Starling is expected to begin commercial operations in 2027.
Snapshot:
Project: Starling Solar
Developer: Apex Clean Energy
PPA Counterparty: Meta
Agreement Scope: All environmental attributes, including RECs
Location: Gonzales County, Texas
Grid: ERCOT
Sector: Solar
Capacity: 144 MW
Construction Jobs: 400 to 450
Lifetime Tax Revenue: Approx. $27 million
School Funding Share: $15.6 million
Landowner Payments: More than $26.3 million
Community and Conservation Grants: Nearly $400,000
Commercial Operations: 2027
Partnership History: Seventh Apex-Meta transaction
Combined Portfolio: Approx. 1,200 MW across TX, VA, IL, KS, IA
Announced: September 16, 2026
Release Dateline: Charlottesville, VA
TheJobWalk Thoughts
Apex says Starling's new generation wouldn't have been built without Meta's commitment. When a developer credits one buyer with getting a project built, that buyer's deal flow becomes a useful map of where future work may land. Business development teams can treat announcements like this one as early leads, not just industry news.
Interconnection delays hold up plenty of generation projects, so Apex's emphasis on interconnected capacity is worth noting. The release names no EPC or subcontractors, so the first call for subs is finding out who holds the contract.
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