Red River Valley Harvest: The Story Behind Samson Solar, the Largest Solar Energy Center in Texas
by Bristi Cure, SVP Development
Invenergy’s new short film Red River Valley Harvest provides an inside look at Invenergy’s Samson Solar Energy Center and how clean energy is powering rural communities and economies across Texas.
Red River Valley Harvest offers a glimpse into the positive impact of Invenergy’s Samson Solar Energy Center – a flagship Invenergy project at the forefront of Texas’s solar boom – and shows how the project is not only powering the grid, but also empowering the people and communities nearby. Located in northeast Texas, Samson Solar is the largest solar energy center in the state and was the largest in the country when it was announced. The project’s scale and local impact are examples of what the growing clean energy economy means for Texas communities and the people who live in them.
At Invenergy, being an active and responsible community partner is at the heart of everything we do. This philosophy continues to guide us as we work to build an electricity grid fit for the future. Red River Valley Harvest tells the stories of the people behind the energy expansion in Texas and what the influx of energy investment in the state means for them and their communities.
Texas has always been at the forefront of energy innovation. This year, it became the country’s leader in installed commercial solar energy capacity, marking a new chapter in the expanding clean energy economy in the state. Invenergy is proud to contribute to this growth by working with communities across Texas to deliver cleaner, more reliable, and affordable energy. As the state’s economy and population continue to grow, the demand for diverse energy sources is only expected to increase. Invenergy is the partner of choice to work with Texans to meet that demand.
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It kind of makes you breathe deeper and relax a little bit knowing financially it’s a little nest egg you can depend on. I think it’s going to impact us all greatly as the years move on.”
Fran King, Project Landowner
Samson Solar: Powering Texas Communities
Samson Solar Energy Center is powering communities in more ways than one:
Generating Clean Energy: Samson will generate more than 1,300 megawatts of clean energy, powering 300,000 American homes.
Supporting Communities: Over the life of the project, Samson will directly invest $450 million in the local economy through new tax revenues and lease payments to participating landowners.
Investing in Local Economies: Overall, the project represents a nearly $2 billion capital investment in northeast Texas.
Supporting Job Growth: Samson Solar Energy Center employs 12 full time people employees and supported hundreds of construction jobs during construction.
Invenergy: A Partner in Texas’s Energy Future
Samson is just one of Invenergy’s many projects across the state. From the Panhandle to the Gulf Coast, Invenergy has completed development on 21 clean energy projects and Invenergy Services operates 27 sites across the state.
Adding Clean Energy Capacity: Invenergy has successfully developed 21 clean energy projects in Texas, totaling 4,400 megawatts of generation capacity – enough electricity to power over 1.3 million American homes.
Operating Clean Energy Facilities: Invenergy Services operates 27 energy generation sites across the state, totaling 4,840 megawatts, where we provide operations and maintenance services.
Supporting Job Growth: Invenergy employs more than 200 full-time operations and maintenance staff in Texas and our projects have supported more than 2,000 construction jobs.
Investing in Texas Economies: Invenergy projects invest more than $48 million annually in local taxes, land costs and lease payments, and project generated wages and benefits in the state.