Watch out CA & AZ, we're catching up!

[Norm51]

Just heard on our local NPR station, KSTX.

San Antonio & Austin Generate Four Times More Solar Energy Than Rest Of State

"They have made major commitments to solar energy, both through building large scale utility solar projects as well as having great programs to help individuals install solar on their roof tops, their homes, their businesses, their schools,” said Environment Texas President Luke Metzger.

Metzger also said that since both CPS Energy and Austin Energy are municipally owned, it helps citizens to influence the investment in more energy-saving projects.

With CPS Energy’s solar farms and more than 800 individual solar-energy installations, San Antonio leads the state in solar energy generation with 52 megawatts.

Austin comes in second with 41 megawatts, and Oncor, the utility for Dallas and Fort Worth, generates 9 megawatts in third.

Metzger said Texas has the largest potential for Solar Energy usage given the size of the state and amount of sunshine.

"We have an incredible solar intensity and according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory we have enough solar intensity and land space to generate more than 100 times our current electric use through solar alone," Metzger said.

Austin and San Antonio are leading Texas in solar energy because they have adopted strong policies that encourage solar power on residences and businesses, and in utility-scale installations.

Environment Texas.JPG

[bonaire]

Someone said today that generally, Texas has good electric rates and unless there are subsidies like in Austin, people aren't really incentivized to install Solar like in California with the tiered electric rates. Wind power in Texas is quite big, isn't it?

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Someone said today that generally, Texas has good electric rates and unless there are subsidies like in Austin, people aren't really incentivized to install Solar like in California with the tiered electric rates. Wind power in Texas is quite big, isn't it?

Big enough to have a measurable effect in reducing natural gas use.

[Norm51]

Someone said today that generally, Texas has good electric rates and unless there are subsidies like in Austin, people aren't really incentivized to install Solar like in California with the tiered electric rates. Wind power in Texas is quite big, isn't it?

Wind:

Yes, there is quite a bit here and more on the way. But, there is a qualifying "but" in that claim.

According to my sister-in-law, who is employed in the wind energy construction industry, federal credits are drying up for projects that are now "shovel-ready" and underway by March - unless Congress enacts or reenacts legislation to renew credits for new construction. She's hedging her bets by putting resumes out there as fast as she can print them off. Her projects have not been limited to just Texas. Having been a pipeline engineer in oil and gas before making the move to wind energy, she may be looking to she if old contacts still exist there.

Rates:

I highlighted the portion about Austin and San Antonio being Municipal Utilities because it is important in that they fall under different rules and regulations than other utilities in Texas. I'm not sure about Austin but, San Antonio does not offer Time Of Use metering - Yet. They've published on their site an intention to do so in the future but no one that I could reach by phone would say when that'll be.

There is TOU in some parts of Texas. Houston, where my siblings and parents live, have competing utilities for both gas and electric utility services. Not so in San Antonio. Our current winter rate is ~8.4 cents/kWh and ~10 cents/kWh [above a 600 kWh baseline] in summer. There is no tax on electricty or gas. There is a "Service Availability" fee of $8.25 for electricity and $8.95 on NG. In San Antonio, garbage service is also a part of our single utility bill as the only taxable item there. I don't know what rates are in Austin.

Incentives:

CPSEnergy paid ~$24.5K of the $60K retail price of our array @ $2/watt. The State of Texas exempts the capital improvements to our property from assessment in our appraisal district. And the 30% Federal Tax credit [spreadable over a maximum of 4 years of tax returns] also helps.

[jeffhre]

Wasn't the PTC, Production Tax Credit, for wind power approved again during the fiscal cliff negotiations?

[Norm51]

Wasn't the PTC, Production Tax Credit, for wind power approved again during the fiscal cliff negotiations?

I don't know. My conversation with her was in early January. I'll shoot her an e-mail and see if her fears have been abated.


Edit: Yes, it looks as if they were thrown a lifeline according to this: Wind Gets Production Tax Credit for Another Year....

[fotomoto]

LOTS of wind here in south Texas. I know of three large wind farms here near the coast with a fourth about to begin construction after protests from the Navy (radar issues) were resolved. Massive farms out in west Texas too.

[Norm51]

Massive farms out in west Texas too.

My sister-in-law has been promising me a personal tour up to the top of a turbine in her Fort Stockton project for a couple of years now. I DO intend to collect on that promise.

[Ladogaboy]

Not if I can do anything about it. *cracks knuckles*

I'm still surprised at how bad LA is about solar power, especially the multi unit buildings. My friend recently moved into a 100+ unit building, and when I looked out at the parking lot from his 3rd floor balcony, there was 10,000 to 15,000 sq/ft of virgin parking lot roof. Southward facing! I go back to Northern California, and all of these uber conservative (so you'd think, anti solar), small aggro businesses have installed 100+ kW solar arrays to offset electrical costs. Even the Walmarts in Northern California have solar arrays. I guess money talks.

[Norm51]

Here's a great example of a group of people that get it.

This is a small, inner-city church here in San Antonio that is augmenting their usage [or maybe even replacing it entirely] with only 14 panels. Many churches of this size go largely unused except on weekends and special occasions. Their array has been online since May 2009.

During the summer months here, I could easily see their one-day usage of A/C consuming >100 kWh for those two buildings.

St Phillips Baptist Church-San Antonio.JPG