Big Future For Solar Energy In Texas

 

Everything's big in Texas, just ask they locals and they'll tell you. Even the state's power consumption is huge. Texas has a population of nearly 30 million citizens who use more power per capita than any other US state.

The state is becoming increasingly excited over the possibility of a substantial local solar energy industry after a recent major news conference held by state senators and representatives promoting new renewable energy bills.

Among the legislation proposed, the state’s electric utilities would be required support the development of 2000 megawatts of solar and other on-site renewable technologies by offering direct incentives to consumers and businesses such as rebates or feed in tariffs.

TexasVox states that such legislation could spur grid connect solar power installations on as many as half a million roofs in Texas by 2020; at a cost of under a dollar a month per Texan. Previous polls found that 81% of Texas voters were willing to pay up to a dollar a month to encourage solar power.

Local electricity supplier Oncor recently announced rebates to its Texas customers for installing solar energy systems. The USD$ 16 million, four-year program will pay USD$ 2.46 per DC watt and up to USD$ 24,600 for each residential solar energy system. 

According to a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, for each gigawatt of solar energy infrastructure introduced in Texas, a supply chain 25,000 jobs long will be generated.. Given the solar potential of Texas, this could mean nearly 125,000 new jobs by 2020 with over 75 percent of the solar supply chain being local.

Texas is by means not the only placing catching solar fever. Many other states and countries are looking to kick-start ailing local economies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions with long term infrastructure investments in renewable energy, rather than short term band-aid approaches where much of the money spent ultimately winds up in wallets elsewhere.

Solar Energy Jobs Boom In The USA

 

USA President Obama today signed the USD $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 into law.  The US solar energy industry has rejoiced over the package as USD $43 billion will be spent in the energy sector; with a sizeable chunk dedicated to solar power.

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) President & CEO Rhone Resch stated 67,000 solar power related jobs in 2009 are expected to be created and a total of 119,000 jobs over the next two years as a result of the package, putting Americans back to work installing solar panels, manufacturing components and constructing solar farms.

Three aspects of the stimulus package critical to the industry included grants equal to 30 percent of the cost of qualifying large and small solar projects started in the next two years, a loan guarantee program to get much needed funding moving for renewable energy projects and a manufacturing tax credit whereby a 30-percent credit for equipment to manufacture renewable energy components will be available.

The solar power push in the USA will provide benefits to other countries as well through increased research and development that can lead to more efficient solar panels, deep cycle batteries and other renewable energy components.

US consumers won't miss out either as home owners will be able to write off 30% of the cost  of a solar power system on their federal tax bill. While this has been the case for some time,  under the new laws there won't be any cap on system size.

The wind energy industry will also continue to be strongly supported with $13 billion in the form of a three-year extension of the tax break for big wind projects.

President Obama's goal is to double the production alternative energy in the next three years and to ensure 10 percent of  electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012 extending to 25 percent by 2025.

News for Tuesday 17 February, 2009

 

• Ontario's Solar Feed In Tariff Lesson
  


• Solar panels - beware of counterfeits
  

View all news for Tuesday 17 February, 2009 on one page

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