German utility RWE has secured two 15-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with tech giant Microsoft, committing to supply 446MW of clean energy from two new onshore wind farms in Texas.

The company will provide Microsoft with renewable electricity from its 243MW Peyton Creek II wind farm and 203MW Lane City project.

The PPAs are a component of Microsoft's plan to use 100% renewable energy by 2025 for power usage.

RWE Clean Energy CEO Andrew Flanagan said: “As RWE, we are excited to be working with Microsoft to provide the clean electricity they need to achieve their sustainability goals. Together, we’re united in our efforts to deliver a clean energy future.

“As a growing green business, we are committed to driving our renewable targets, supporting local communities grow sustainably.”

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Peyton Creek II wind farm has been conducted, and RWE has confirmed its investment decision on the Lane City project.

Both wind farms will utilise Vestas’ V163 4.5MW turbines, and construction is being led by Wanzek Construction and RES Energy Solutions.

While the construction at the Peyton Creek II site in Bay City, Texas has commenced, Lane City wind farm, situated in Wharton County, is scheduled to begin construction this summer.

Each wind farm is expected to create between 250-300 jobs during the construction phase and 20 permanent jobs post-completion.

Currently, RWE operates 33 renewable energy projects in Texas, with a combined capacity of 4.3 gigawatts (GW).

Upon completion of these two projects, RWE's renewable capacity in Texas will increase to 4.8GW.

This expansion will bolster RWE's presence in the ERCOT market and add to its extensive renewables portfolio in the US, which includes 9.3GW across wind, solar, and battery storage.