San Antonio ranks 6th in nation for solar power per capita
Solar energy capacity continues to grow in cities around the country, and San Antonio, Texas ranks sixth in the nation for the amount installed per-capita, or per resident, according to a new report. Austin, Texas ranks twenty-first on the list out of the top fifty most populated U.S. cities.
As population centers, cities 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.
San Antonio Solar Data
Coming in at #6 per capita, San Antonio, Texas generates 166 watts of DC solar power for every 1 resident in the city. There’s more than 254 megawatts of solar power capacity installed in San Antonio, ranking it 5th for total solar capacity.
Solar growth in San Antonio has been supported by the local utility, CPS Energy, and their solar rebate program. Homeowners in the CPS Energy service territory can receive up to $2,500 dollars worth of rebates toward the cost of adding solar panels on a residence.
Click to learn more about the CPS Energy Solar Rebate Program.
The United States now has 77.7 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity installed – more than enough to power one in every 10 homes in America. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have invested in solar energy and millions more are ready to join them.
“U.S. cities have only begun to tap their solar energy potential,” says the report, citing rooftop solar’s technical potential of 1,118 GW, as estimated by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Since NREL published its estimate in 2016, solar panel efficiencies have increased, which suggests a higher technical potential today.
Solar energy benefits cities in a number of ways
- Solar energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions
- Solar energy reduces air pollution, improving public health
- Solar energy makes cities more resilient to disasters
- Solar energy benefits consumers
- Distributed solar energy benefits the broader electric grid
San Antonio could reach more than 6,200 MW of solar on its rooftops, according to the report.
The Environment Texas report obtained data for the core city within each of the nation’s 50 most populous metropolitan areas. For states not yet represented in that list of 50 cities, the analysis includes each state’s largest city.
Click to view the Shining Cities 2020 report.
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About Wells Solar
Founded in 2014 in Austin, Wells Solar & Electrical Services is a family-owned establishment committed to installing high-quality solar power solutions that everyone can afford. Thanks to special solar programs available in Texas, you may be able to trade the money you’re spending on power bills for a solar finance payment and realize net savings each month! Contact Wells Solar to learn more.
