MGM Contracts for More Solar Energy from New Farm by 2026

Posted on: September 12, 2024, 05:04h. 

Last updated on: September 12, 2024, 05:04h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Myths.

MGM Resorts announced on Thursday that it has signed an agreement to more than double its access to solar electricity. The agreement is with Escape Solar, a utility-scale energy company building a solar plant 90 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip in rural Lincoln County.

MGM International’s existing Mega Solar Array project, located 30 miles north of Las Vegas, provides 90% of the energy its Las Vegas hotels need for daytime use. (Image: MGM Resorts)

The first energy from the Escape Solar + Storage project is expected to help power MGM’s needs by 2026.

According to an MGM press release, the Lincoln County facility — which will be operated by Estuary Power of Reno — will generate enough electricity to power more than 28,000 average homes.

MGM said it already uses 90% renewable energy for 11 of its Las Vegas resorts’ daytime needs, and that the boost from this new farm will fill in the 10% gap as well as allow it to store some of the energy needed for nighttime use.

Most casino resorts — we’re looking at you, Luxor – use more electricity at night due to the increased loads commanded by exterior lights, shows and in-room air conditioning.

“This agreement is the next step toward the achievement of our climate goals,” said Bill Hornbuckle, MGM’s CEO and president, in a statement. “As we continue the journey toward greater sustainability, we remain dedicated to finding new ways to reduce our carbon footprint, conserve resources and inspire others to join in building a more sustainable world for generations to come.”

In 2023, MGM said, it achieved two of its previously stated carbon emissions goals by reducing emissions per square foot by 45% by 2025, and reducing emissions per square foot by 50% by 2030. This has been achieved since 2016 via renewable Las Vegas energy projects including:

  • its 323,000-panel Mega Solar Array, which provides 100 MW to MGM Resorts’ 11 Las Vegas locations,
  • the 26,000 solar panels atop the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, which provide 8.3MW to that property, and
  • a 100-kW rooftop solar array that helps power T-Mobile Arena.

According to MGM, the new agreement “will help propel the company closer to its goal of procuring 100% renewable electricity in North America by 2030.”