3 Texas Cities Named To Top Solar List
The Shining Cities 2022 Report outlines the top U.S. cities for solar energy. 3 cities in Texas – San Antonio, Austin, and Houston – made the top 20 rankings for total installed solar PV capacity as of the end of 2021.
New study ranks San Antonio the No. 5 city for solar energy in the U.S., Austin & Houston make top 20
Solar power continues to expand rapidly. The United States now has 121.4 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity, producing enough solar energy to power more than 23 million homes. Millions of Americans have invested in solar energy and millions more are ready to join them.
America’s major cities have played a key role in the clean energy revolution and stand to reap tremendous benefits from solar energy. As population centers, they are major sources of electricity demand and, with millions of rooftops suitable for solar panels, they have the potential to be major sources of clean energy production as well.
The cities with the most solar PV installed per resident are the “Solar Superstars” – cities with 100 or more watts of solar PV capacity installed per capita.
Next are “Solar Stars” with over 50 watts per person. In 2014, only eight of the cities surveyed for this report had enough solar PV per capita to be ranked as “Solar Stars,” but now 34 cities have earned the title.
Los Angeles leads the nation in total installed solar PV capacity among all cities surveyed in this report, as it did from 2014 to 2016 and from 2018 to 2020, after briefly being topped by San Diego in 2017.
Leading solar cities can be found in every region of the country. Leaders in per capita solar capacity by census region include Honolulu in the Pacific region, Las Vegas in the Mountain region, Indianapolis in the North Central region, San Antonio in the South Central region, Washington, D.C., in the South Atlantic region, and Burlington in the Northeast region.
San Antonio Ranks #5 In America, #1 In Texas
All information below has been taken from the Shining Cities 2022 Report from Environment America.
San Antonio maintained its rank as first in Texas and fifth in the nation for total solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the eighth edition of the Environment Texas Research & Policy Center’s report Shining Cities: The Top U.S. Cities for Solar Energy. The city is home to 354.9 megawatts of solar capacity total, which comes out to 247.4 watts per person.
The report, which is the most comprehensive survey available of installed solar capacity in major U.S. cities, designates San Antonio a ‘Solar Superstar,’ meaning it boasts 100 or more watts of solar PV capacity installed per capita. Solar capacity in San Antonio increased 39% since 2020.
“Home-grown solar power is such an important part of building a cleaner, healthier and more resilient San Antonio,” said the City’s Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “I’m so proud of the work our city has done to take advantage of our abundant sunshine, from the goals we established through our SA Climate Ready Plan to the steps we’ve taken to help our residents access clean solar power for their homes and businesses.”
Massive solar growth in past years
Beyond the findings in Texas, the report noted that the United States now has 121.4 gigawatts of solar photovoltaic capacity installed. That’s enough solar energy to power more than 23 million homes. Additionally, the report found that 15 major U.S. cities recorded a tenfold increase in their solar capacity between 2014 and 2022.
These numbers tell the story of progress driven by pro-solar policies, many of which are outlined in the report. CPS Energy’s Save for Tomorrow Energy Plan (STEP) has been an important driver in San Antonio’s success, with $153 million invested in solar since 2009.
CPS Energy currently offers one of the best solar rebate programs in the state, giving customers up to $2,500 dollars to install solar panels.
Related Reading: What’s The Best Solar Panel Warranty?
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