The construction of two plants in Texas will become the U.S. Army’s largest renewable-energy project so far, in an effort that the Army says “enhances our mission effectiveness.”

The project will cost $497.4 million over its 30-year contract and produce 65 megawatts of energy to Fort Hood. The majority of that, 50 megawatts, will come from solar, generated in Floyd County, Texas. The remaining 15 megawatts will come from a solar plant built at Ford Hood itself.

Apex Clean Energy, an energy company based in Charlottesville, Va., signed the contract with the Defense Logistics Agency, the company announced on Wednesday. It is expected to begin to provide energy to Ford Hood in 2017.

Two other private businesses, Tennessee Valley Infrastructure Group and American Helios, will also support the work.

In an interview with Bloomberg, an Army representative said that adding more clean energy to the army’s portfolio was not “a science project” or “to feel good about our work.”

Instead, the Army hopes it will save them money.

In fact, they’re saving about $168 million over 30 years compared to what they would pay for electricity from the grid.

Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy, and environment, said in a press release from Apex that the army is making a concentrated effort to partner with more private-sector clean energy companies.

“The project at Fort Hood, the Army’s first hybrid and largest single renewable energy project to date, is an excellent example of the extraordinary results we can achieve through collaboration,” she said.

Mark Goodwin, president of Apex, served in the Navy himself.

“We are proud to be working with several Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses to support the Department of Defense’s goals to preserve energy surety and harness more clean, domestic energy to power military facilities,” he said.