The new project adds to Texas’s already established reputation as a leader in the solar industry. Currently, California is the only state that outranks Texas for solar power growth, and that trend will only continue in the Lone Star State. As of 2018, there were a recorded 48,260 solar installations in the state, which generate enough energy to power 349,044 homes. Experts expect that new installations will add 7,081 megawatts to the state’s solar capacity over the next five years.
San Antonio leads Texas’s urban areas for installed solar; a study conducted by Environment Texas Research and Policy Center ranked the Alamo City among its ”Top 20 Solar Cities by Total Installed Solar PV Capacity” for 2016. With 117 megawatts of installed solar capacity, San Antonio beat out other bastions of solar energy, such as San Francisco, Portland, and Austin.
Other areas of Texas are following in San Antonio’s footsteps: Along with the new Fort Bend facility, there are several other high-profile solar installations coming to Texas soon. Earlier this month, a new solar project in the Permian Basin was announced, which will bring another 495-megawatts of installed solar power to Texas — as well as a 495-megawatt battery storage facility, making it one of the largest and most powerful installations in the state.
Another 1,100-acre solar farm planned for Canton, Texas, near Dallas, would add another 127 megawatts to the Texas solar power landscape, enough energy to power around 25,000 homes. With these projects coming to the Lone Star State, it’s likely that Texas’s solar capacity will only grow in the upcoming decade. And our state has size on its side. With millions of acres of rural land, when it comes to Texas solar installations, the old saying rings true: everything truly is bigger in Texas.
Thinking of installing your own solar panels? Houston, Texas, residents can harness the power of the sun with a residential solar installation by calling Freedom Solar. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation — and join Texas’s growing solar energy movement!