Starfire’s transformation will span four stages, with the commencement of Phase 1 set for 2025.

Startup EV automaker, Rivian, has agreed to procure 100 MW of renewable energy from Phase 1, enough energy to power nearly 450 million miles of renewable driving annually. The Nature Conservancy, an environmental nonprofit, will also acquire up to 2.5 MW of renewable energy credits to support its sustainability goals.

“Shifting our energy system toward carbon neutrality goes beyond electrifying the roughly 1.5 billion vehicles in the global fleet,” said Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe. “We must also support the decarbonization of our energy infrastructure through the responsible deployment of renewable energy. We are thrilled to collaborate with organizations like The Nature Conservancy and BrightNight to bring Starfire to life and help create a scalable model for a modern grid that provides reliable, affordable, and carbon free energy for all.”

The Starfire Renewable Energy Center was selected through a rigorous competitive process established by The Nature Conservancy and Rivian. The process prioritizes projects that promote an equitable and science-backed transition to clean energy, benefit climate, conservation, and communities, known as the “3Cs”. Rivian and The Nature Conservancy have also co-developed a public guide called “Power with Purpose,” detailing this strategy along with resources for industry leaders to implement environmentally and socially driven clean energy projects.

As Phase 1 construction gets underway, BrightNight, Rivian, and The Nature Conservancy will intensify their efforts to engage local communities, determining development priorities, securing land needed for transmission lines, and remaining environmentally conscious during site design.