Microsoft has entered into a multi-year agreement with Clearloop, a carbon solutions platform owned by Silicon Ranch, to deploy up to 100 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy in underinvested communities across the United States. The initiative, spanning the next three years, aims to accelerate grid decarbonisation while driving economic investment in around 20 socioeconomically diverse communities.
Clearloop, an early adopter of emissions-based grid analysis in partnership with environmental tech non-profit WattTime, identifies locations where solar projects can maximise carbon displacement. The new solar portfolio is projected to prevent over five million metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions over the next 40 years, diversifying the energy mix in Arkansas and Louisiana.
This partnership builds on Microsoft and Clearloop’s first joint solar project, a 6.6MW facility in the Mississippi Delta, which became operational in summer 2024. That project not only displaced 200,000 tonnes of CO₂, but also catalysed Silicon Ranch’s investment into Panola County, Mississippi, a historically underinvested region.
Clearloop CEO and co-founder Laura Zapata praised Microsoft’s role in leveraging its market power for impactful climate action. “We applaud Microsoft for using its purchasing power to pilot and scale innovative structures that accelerate grid decarbonisation while ensuring all American communities benefit from the clean energy transition,” she said.
The agreement aligns with Microsoft’s ambitious climate targets, including its goal to become carbon negative by 2030. Danielle Decatur, Microsoft’s Director of Environmental Justice, highlighted the initiative’s broader impact. “Clearloop helps Microsoft achieve its carbon-negative goals by supporting renewable energy projects in communities that might otherwise miss out on the economic and environmental benefits of the energy transition.”
The first four solar projects under the new agreement will begin construction in the coming months, with completion expected by the end of the year. These will be among the first large-scale solar projects interconnecting with local distribution grids in Poinsett County, Cross County and Desha County in Arkansas, and Bienville Parish in Louisiana.
As with all Clearloop projects, the solar farms will be developed, owned, and operated by its parent company, Silicon Ranch, ensuring long-term sustainability.
Beyond emissions reductions, the agreement includes the launch of a Community Benefits Fund, managed by the non-profit Sustain Our Future Foundation, to address social and environmental challenges in communities hosting these projects.
“This partnership is about more than just clean energy—it’s about investing in the economic potential of communities across the country that are embracing innovation and sustainability,” said Zapata.
