Avantus and Toyota Tsusho America Launch 159 MW Solar Project in Texas

Avantus, an energy company, announced that it, along with Toyota Tsusho America, has commenced the construction of the 159 megawatt (MWdc)/125 MWac Norton Solar Project in Runnels County, Texas.  

This project follows the sale of the Norton project to TAI, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho Corporation, in November 2023.  

TAI has secured construction and term financing through Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. 

Avantus will supervise the Norton project's construction, which is slated to begin operations in late 2025. The RES will provide the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for the project.  

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“Texas is energy country, and that includes massive opportunities in solar. The Norton Solar Project represents the best of what we do at Avantus – develop high-quality clean energy projects that are good for our customers, for the local economy, and for the planet,” said Avantus Chief Financial Officer Patrick Goff. 

He added, “This project was six years in the making, and I am proud of our team’s persistence in getting Norton shovel-ready and for securing the project’s successful sale to Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. to help meet their sustainability goals.” 

The Norton project is expected to offset more than 230,000 metric tons of CO2 per year, which is equivalent to removing over 50,000 gas-powered cars off the road every year.  

Additionally, the project is anticipated to generate 250 jobs during the construction phase and provide other economic benefits to the region. 

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Norton is Avantus’ seventh project in Texas, boosting its total clean energy development in the state to nearly 2 gigawatts (GWdc). 

With over 80 projects in the pipeline, Avantus now holds one of the largest solar and energy storage portfolios in the U.S., totalling more than 46 gigawatts (GW) of capacity, including 30 GW of solar and 94 gigawatt-hours of energy storage—enough to power over 20 million people in the Southwestern U.S.