Amazon Unveils First Solar Farm in Oklahoma, Boosting Local Economy and Clean Energy Capacity

Amazon has announced its first solar farm in Oklahoma, and it is planned to be in Kiowa County (PHOTO: Amazon).

KIOWA COUNTY, Okla. (KOKH) — Amazon has announced its first solar farm in Oklahoma.

It is planned to be a 100-megawatt (MW) project in Kiowa County.

Amazon has three other renewable energy projects in Oklahoma, including Caddo, Pontotoc, and Beaver Counties wind farms.

Together these projects will generate an estimated total of 618 MW of clean energy capacity.

These projects will help power Amazon’s local operations, including Amazon’s fulfillment centers, sortation centers, and delivery stations, while also providing new sources of clean power to local communities where the projects are located.

Nat Sahlstrom, Head of Energy, Water, and Sustainability of Amazon Web Services said “At Amazon, we’re constantly seeking innovative ways to bring more solar and wind projects online, both to power our operations, and to bring new sources of clean energy to the communities where our customers live and work. These projects are also helping create jobs, support local businesses, and boost the local tax base, which are all part of Amazon’s broader commitment to become a more sustainable company”.

Economic data from Amazon shows the company’s investments in utility-scale renewable energy projects generated an estimated $546 million in local economic investment and contributed $193 million to the total gross domestic product from 2014 through 2022.

The projects also supported an estimated 735 full-time equivalent jobs in Oklahoma in 2022.

Amazon also utilizes long-term contracts known as Purchase Power Agreements (PPAs). Through these PPAs Amazon has said to have commitments to buy the electricity produced by the future renewable energy products, which allow wind and solar farm developers to raise funds, purchase equipment, and construct the projects without direct costs to local energy users.

The PPAs are also said to generate economic activity in the communities where the projects are located, resulting in workers being hired to help manage the projects, and increasing business at nearby hotels, restaurants, and retail stores.