Solar power in Texas, along with wind power, have the potential to allow Texas to remain an energy-exporting state. Texas has the largest solar and wind potential in the country.
Video Solar power in Texas
Solar farms
The largest which will produce 110 MWac / 133.10 MWdc, named Alamo 6, is under construction still in McCamey, Pecos County, Texas. Alamo 6 was sold for $385 million to Warren Buffett in January 2017. The largest solar farm in production in Texas is the 157 mw ac, Roserock Solar which came online in September 2016, & next is 106 mw (AC) Alamo 7 which came online in September 2016 and next is the 95 MW(AC) Alamo 5 near San Antonio which came online in April 2016. Others include the 40 MW Alamo 4, which came online in September 2014; the 41 MW Alamo 1 solar farm, which came online in December 2013; the 35 MW Webberville Solar Farm, near Austin, which began operation in December, 2011 and the 16.6 MW Blue Wing Solar Project, at the intersection of I37 and US 181, southeast of San Antonio, which began operation in November, 2010. Top solar contractors in Texas include Meridian Solar, Longhorn Solar, Axium Solar and Native.
Maps Solar power in Texas
Statistics
Installed capacity
Generation-utility scale
Using data available from the U.S. Energy Information Agency's Electric Power Annual 2016 and "Electric Power Monthly Data Browser", the following table summarizes Texas's solar energy posture.
Capacity factor for each year was computed from the end-of-year summer capacity. 2017 data is from Electric Power Monthly and is subject to change.Generation-small scale
Beginning with the 2014 data year, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has estimated the distributed solar-photovoltaic generation and distributed solar-photovoltaic capacity. These non-utility-scale appraisals evaluate that Texas generated the following amounts of additional solar energy:
Potential generation
Covering half of the roof with 10% efficient photovoltaics is sufficient to generate all of the electricity used by an average family in Texas. Solar farms are more cost effective in West Texas, where insolation levels are greater. The US uses about 100 quads of energy each year. This number is expected to be reduced by 50% by 2050, due to efficiency increases. Texas has the potential to generate 22,786,750 million kWh/year, more than any other state, from 7,743,000 MW of concentrated solar power plants, using 34% of Texas, and 131,200 million kWh/year from 97,800 MW of rooftop photovoltaic panels, 34.6% of the electricity used in the state in 2013.
Texas electricity consumption in 2010 was 358,458 million kWh, more than any other state, and 9.5% of the US total.
See also
- Renewable energy
- Solar power
- Wind power in Texas
- List of power stations in Texas
References
External links
- Texas Solar Energy Society
- Solar maps: NREL annual and monthly, ERCOT1, ERCOT2, US installations
Source of article : Wikipedia
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