Switch backs Gigawatt Nevada — largest solar project in U.S.

Plans were unveiled for Gigawatt Nevada, an initiative to build the single largest solar project portfolio in the United States, by Switch and Capital Dynamics.

Switch is a leading co-location data center operator with massive facilities in Nevada including its flagship campus in Las Vegas and a new campus in Reno. The company also has a marquee data center in Grand Rapids, Michigan and is building another regional data center in Atlanta.

The Gigawatt 1 assets will be owned and developed by Capital Dynamics, the second largest owner of solar projects in the country.  Gigawatt 1 anchor tenants will include Switch and several of its Switch CORE client. The project is negotiating with multiple private and public sector access customers within Nevada and outside the state.

Gigawatt 1 is projecting energy costs substantially less than the renewable energy from NV Energy (Nevada Power).

“The foundation of Gigawatt Nevada is that Nevada should harness the sun the same way Alaska harnesses its oil to significantly benefit all Nevadans,” Rob Roy said.  “Nevada enjoys the best solar window in the nation and so we Nevadans should not only be using solar for ourselves, but exporting it throughout the Western U.S. to create new jobs, tax revenue, economic diversification, and raise energy independence.”

“Climate scientists have repeatedly warned that we must move to renewable energy as rapidly as possible, but many monopoly utilities continue to hold us back from making this transition,” said Gary Cook, Senior IT Sector Analyst and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace.  “Gigawatt 1 shows that when Switch and other leading companies don’t take ‘no’ for an answer, they can work together and kick open the door to large-scale sources of renewable energy that are better for the planet, and better for the economy in Nevada.”