Facebook partners with CleanMax to supply RE to India’s grid

Facebook has partnered with Mumbai-based clean energy company, CleanMax, to set up a 32 MW wind power project in Karnataka, its first renewable energy deal in India. While CleanMax will own and operate the project, Facebook will buy power off the grid through environmental attribute certificates. Located in the southern state of Karnataka, the 32 MW wind power project is part of a larger portfolio of wind and solar projects that Facebook and CleanMax are working on together to supply renewable power into India's electrical grid, the two companies told the media in a joint statement. Urvi Parekh, Facebook's head of renewable energy, told the media that the company typically does not own the power plant project but instead signed a long-term electricity purchasing agreement with CleanMax, which enables the project to seek out the financing that it would need. Facebook has announced similar partnerships in Singapore with energy providers Terrenus Energy, Sunseap Group, and Sembcorp Industries on projects that can produce 160 MW of solar power. The electricity generated from these plants will power Facebook's first Asian data centre that is set to start operations next year, the company has stated. Image Source