Soluna Holdings announced plans to build Project Annie, a 75-megawatt renewable energy data center powered by a 114-megawatt solar farm in northeast Texas.
Soluna Holdings has signed a deal to build its first renewable energy data center in northeast Texas. The 75-megawatt Project Annie will sit next to a 114-megawatt solar farm and focus on Bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence computing.
The Albany, New York-based company announced the term sheet agreement this week. Project Annie represents a major shift for Soluna, which has previously built renewable energy data center facilities powered by wind energy. The new facility will convert excess solar power into high-performance computing operations.
“Project Annie is a game-changer,” said John Belizaire, Soluna’s chief executive officer. “It’s our first project tapping solar energy, and it paves the way for sustainable computing that works in harmony with the sun.”
The project name honors Annie Easley, one of the first African American computer scientists at NASA. From 1955 to 1989, Easley made important contributions to rocket systems and energy technologies. She developed software for the Centaur rocket stage and worked on early hybrid vehicle technologies. Soluna follows a tradition of naming its projects after women pioneers in science and technology.
Solar-powered computing facilities represent a growing trend in the technology industry. These renewable energy data center operations aim to reduce the environmental impact of energy-intensive computing applications. Bitcoin mining and AI processing require massive amounts of electricity, often equivalent to powering thousands of homes continuously.
A 75-megawatt data center uses enough electricity to power about 60,000 typical American homes during peak operation. By connecting directly to solar panels, Project Annie can operate when the sun shines brightest and solar energy costs the least. This approach helps stabilize the electrical grid by using power that might otherwise go to waste during peak solar production hours.
The renewable energy data center model offers significant advantages over traditional grid-connected facilities. Direct connection to solar generation eliminates transmission losses that typically reduce efficiency by 8-15 percent. The co-location also provides price stability, as the facility avoids volatile electricity market rates that can fluctuate hourly.
The company now has more than 773 megawatts of computing projects in development across multiple states. Most of these facilities use wind power, representing the largest portfolio of renewable energy data center projects in North America. Project Annie marks the expansion into solar energy markets, diversifying Soluna’s renewable power sources.
Texas leads the nation in both wind and solar energy production, generating over 120,000 gigawatt-hours of renewable electricity annually. This abundant clean energy makes the state an attractive location for companies developing renewable energy data center facilities. The state’s deregulated electricity market also provides flexibility for direct power purchase agreements.
Project Annie joins nine other Soluna projects at various stages of development. Two wind-powered facilities in Texas already operate as renewable energy data center sites, providing 50 megawatts of Bitcoin mining and hosting services. Dorothy 1A and Dorothy 1B began operations in 2023, demonstrating the viability of wind-powered computing operations.
Soluna uses proprietary software called MaestroOS to manage its renewable energy data center operations. This system helps optimize energy use and computing performance across all facilities. The software can adjust operations based on renewable energy availability and grid conditions, maximizing efficiency and profitability.
MaestroOS monitors weather patterns, energy prices, and computing demand to automatically scale operations. During peak solar production, the system can increase computing workloads to consume excess power. When renewable generation drops, it can reduce operations or shift to battery storage if available.
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The renewable energy data center model addresses growing concerns about cryptocurrency and AI energy consumption. Bitcoin mining alone consumes approximately 150 terawatt-hours annually, equivalent to the electricity use of Argentina. AI training and operations also require significant power, with demand expected to grow by 300-400 percent over the next five years.
Traditional data centers often rely on fossil fuel-powered electricity from the grid, contributing to carbon emissions. By connecting directly to renewable sources, companies like Soluna can reduce their carbon footprint while potentially lowering energy costs. A typical renewable energy data center can reduce carbon emissions by 70-90 percent compared to grid-powered facilities.
Excess renewable energy sometimes sells at very low prices or even negative rates during peak production periods. Solar farms in Texas regularly experience negative pricing during sunny afternoons when generation exceeds demand. Project Annie’s renewable energy data center can capitalize on these periods by increasing computing operations when power costs are lowest.
Project Annie’s 114-megawatt solar farm will generate more power than the 75-megawatt data center can use during peak sun hours. The excess energy can flow into the grid to power homes and businesses throughout Texas. This arrangement provides additional revenue streams for the project while supporting the state’s renewable energy goals.
The solar farm will include approximately 300,000 solar panels spread across 500-700 acres of Texas land. Modern solar panels convert 20-22 percent of sunlight into electricity, making them increasingly efficient for large-scale renewable energy data center applications. The facility will generate enough clean electricity annually to power 25,000 homes.
The renewable energy data center industry has grown rapidly as cloud computing, streaming services, and cryptocurrency mining expand. Major technology companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon now consume significant portions of global electricity production. Finding sustainable power sources has become a priority for the industry and environmental regulators worldwide.
Construction timelines and operational dates for Project Annie remain unknown. The company must complete the permitting, financing, and construction phases before the facility can begin operations. Similar renewable energy data center projects typically take 12 to 24 months from groundbreaking to full operation, depending on complexity and local regulations.
The project’s success could accelerate the development of additional solar-powered computing facilities across Texas and other sun-rich states. As renewable energy costs continue declining and computing demand grows, the renewable energy data center model becomes increasingly attractive for both environmental and economic reasons.
