Bastrop County’s upcoming Waterloo Solar farm is poised to boost the local economy with hundreds of new jobs and millions in increased tax revenue.

Two-minute impact

RWE Clean Energy, a German company focused on renewable energy, will begin construction later this year, with an estimated one-year turnaround, said Senior U.S. Manager Patricia Kakridas.Kakridas said the solar farm will spread across 900 acres in western Bastrop County, generating 200 megawatts. According to a March 18 power purchase agreement, 100% of the output will go to Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other social media platforms.

“These collaborations enable us to continue investing in communities ... like Bastrop County, helping to stimulate job creation and economic prosperity,” Christoph Hunfeld, RWE’s chief commercial officer, said in a news release.

The cost

The county’s local economic boost is expected to deliver $2 million in annual economic benefits.

“RWE’s investment during the project’s construction phase, from direct employment and associated wages and benefits to purchases of local goods and services, will produce an estimated $26 million in new local economic activity,” Kakridas said.

Waterloo Solar’s cumulative tax revenue over its 40-year lifetime is projected to hit $49 million, she added.