The Hornet Solar project is a 600 MW utility scale solar facility located in Swisher County, Texas, and it completed construction and moved into commercial operations in April 2025, marking one of the largest single phase PV projects in the United States. Stretching across roughly six square miles with over 1.36 million solar modules, the project generates tax revenue across local schools, the county, and a hospital district. In June 2026, Vesper Energy announced a sequel expansion: the 201 MW Nazareth Solar project adjacent to Hornet in the same county, backed by $236 million in financing and targeting construction start in June 2026 with commercial operation in autumn 2027.
The two projects together underline Swisher County’s role as a hub for utility scale generation in Texas at a moment when the state is also establishing itself as a manufacturing center for solar equipment. Vesper Energy’s sequential development of Hornet and Nazareth mirrors the broader wave of solar investment across Texas, evident too in parallel expansions such as the SEG Solar 4 GW module assembly facility in Tomball, which opened in August 2026. Where Hornet and Nazareth represent the generation side of Texas’s solar story, SEG’s Houston area footprint reflects the manufacturing and supply chain dimension, positioning the state as a complete ecosystem for solar from module production through utility scale deployment.
Project Overview
- Project Name: Hornet Solar and Nazareth Solar (Vesper Energy Swisher County Platform)
- Location: Swisher County, Texas, United States (both projects)
- Hornet Solar Capacity: 600 MWac (745 MWdc)
- Nazareth Solar Capacity: 201 MW
- Hornet Solar Value: Approximately $590 million in project financing
- Nazareth Solar Value: $236 million in debt financing
- Developer: Vesper Energy
- Hornet Solar Status: Fully operational since April 2025
- Nazareth Solar Timeline: Construction to begin June 2026, commercial operation autumn 2027
- Strategic Impact: Establishes Swisher County as a major solar generation hub within ERCOT and Texas’s utility scale pipeline
Project Team
- Developer: Vesper Energy
- Leadership (Hornet/Nazareth): Juan Suarez, Co-CEO and Zach Wald, Senior Director of Project Execution
- Hornet Solar Financing: Federal and private sources, including Production Tax Credit funding
- Nazareth Solar Lenders: MUFG (Sole Coordinating Lead Arranger, Bookrunner, Administrative Agent), Associated Bank, Bayern LB
- Nazareth Solar Equity Partners: GCM Grosvenor, Development Bank of Japan
- Interconnection: Oncor Electric Transmission System (ERCOT)
Reported 12th April 2025: Vesper Energy has officially brought its flagship solar project, Hornet Solar, online with a celebratory ribbon-cutting in Swisher County, Texas. Now fully operational, the project marks a major achievement not only for Vesper Energy but also for Texas as a national leader in solar energy. Hornet Solar stretches across more than six square miles and features over 1.36 million solar panels, delivering 600 MWac of clean, domestic energy to the grid. The event included guided tours, speeches from company leaders, and a shared sense of pride in reaching this significant milestone.
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Community Benefits from the Texas Hornet Solar Project
Beyond the impressive scale, Hornet Solar brings substantial economic benefits to the local community. The project is expected to generate more than $100 million in new tax revenue for Swisher County over its lifetime. Of that, $61 million will go to the Tulia Independent School District, $25 million to the county itself, and $12 million to the Swisher Memorial Hospital District. It also created over 300 jobs during construction, boosting the local economy and providing meaningful work for residents. “This project isn’t just about solar panels,” said Juan Suarez, Co-CEO of Vesper Energy. “It’s about lowering energy costs, improving energy security, and creating real opportunities for local communities to thrive.”
Project Overview
Location: Swisher County, Texas
Developers: Vesper Energy
Project capacity: 600 MW
Number of solar panels: 1.36 million
Project cost: US$590 million
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Construction on Hornet Solar began in Fall 2023, and the project quickly hit several major milestones. In December 2024, the team installed its one-millionth solar panel, and by January 2025, the final module was in place. Around the same time, Vesper secured $590 million in financing to ensure the project reached completion. “The numbers are big, but the impact is bigger,” said Zach Wald, Vice President of EPC. “Hornet Solar is powering homes, strengthening infrastructure, and helping build a more sustainable future for Swisher County and beyond.”
The State of Solar in Texas
Hornet Solar’s launch comes amid a significant solar boom in Texas. The state ranks second nationally in installed solar capacity, with over 37,000 MW already online and projections to exceed 51,000 MW within the next five years . Major projects like the 471 MW Mockingbird Solar Center and the 284 MW Stillhouse Solar project are also underway, contributing to the state’s rapid expansion in renewable energy . This growth is expected to generate substantial economic benefits, including $29.5 billion in lease payments to landowners and $20 billion in tax revenue for counties over the lifetimes of these projects .
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