San Antonio leads Texas with major solar energy plan
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San Antonio is making strides toward its 2040 carbon-neutral goal with the largest on-site solar project at city-owned properties undertaken by a local Texas government.
Why it matters: The $30 million solar initiative, projected to reduce municipal buildings' electricity consumption by 11%, is a key component of San Antonio's climate resilience plan, which addresses future challenges like rising energy costs, hotter and dryer days and water shortages.
The latest: On Thursday, the city officially brought six out of 42 planned installations online.
- The city partnered with San Antonio-based Big Sun Solar to develop and manage all sites in the plan.
- The six energized sites — Jean Yates Community Center, Southwest Service Center, Melendrez Community Center, Southside Lions Senior Center, West Police Substation and Pre-K 4 SA East — collectively provide 1.29 megawatts of solar capacity.
- The Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center is currently under construction, according to Big Sun Solar's progress map.
Flashback: The plan was approved last November. Installations started in May.
- The project is funded by Inflation Reduction Act incentives, the State Energy Conservation Office LoanSTAR program and local tax dollars.
By the numbers: Once complete, the initiative is expected to cut down the amount of carbon dioxide by 12,855 metric tons, according to Big Sun Solar.
- That's equivalent to the emissions of 3,060 gasoline-powered cars driven for one year, according to an Environmental Protection Agency conversion.
Between the lines: Of the 42 installations, 23 will be solar canopy shade structures, offering both power generation and protection from the elements.
Zoom out: San Antonio is a leading city for solar energy, ranking No. 5 in the U.S. with 355 megawatts of solar capacity, according to Environment America's latest survey.
- Texas passed California as the state with the most power-generating capacity from big solar projects, new industry data shows.
What they're saying: "Cities need to be leaders in addressing climate change. San Antonio is proud to strategically use its own facilities (to) reduce the impact of our municipal operations and set an example for how other local governments can deploy clean energy and reduce emissions," Doug Melnick, San Antonio's chief sustainability officer, said in a statement.
What's next: The remaining project sites — including senior centers, libraries, community centers, and fire and police stations — have been identified, senior sustainability manager Leslie Antunez tells Axios.
- The city is planning 29 installations in fiscal year 2025, which begins on Oct. 1. The rest are scheduled for fiscal year 2026.