Austrian developer Lendlease is leasing 1,800 acres in the western part of Fort Bend County to develop a $170 million solar facility. The development, near Orchard, TX, will consist of approximately 700,000 solar panels that will be mounted on a single-axis tracker system. The panels will absorb the sunlight, connecting the energy to CenterPoint Energy transmission lines, providing enough energy to power 40,000 homes.

Construction is anticipated to begin in 2019, with operations commencing in 2020.

The Brazos Independent School District, Fort Bend County and the Fort Bend County Drainage District provided 10-year tax abatements on Lendlease’s 30-year lease. “We need power now more than ever, especially when considering population projections for the county, and the state of Texas,” Fort Bend Precinct 1 County Commissioner Vincent Morales told the Houston Chronicle.

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