Solar power in Texas

{{short description|Overview of solar power in the U.S. state of Texas}}

Image:Applied materials solar arrray1.jpg{{Update|date=April 2024}}

Solar power in Texas, a portion of total energy in Texas, includes utility-scale solar power plants as well as local distributed generation, mostly from rooftop photovoltaics. The western portion of the state especially has abundant open land areas, with some of the greatest solar and wind potential in the country.{{cite web|url=http://solarindustrymag.com/state-state-view-u-s-renewable-energy-2017/|title=A State-By-State View Of U.S. Renewable Energy In 2017|website=solarindustrymag.com|access-date=7 February 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.neo.ne.gov/statshtml/201.htm |title=Comparison of Solar Power Potential by State |website=neo.ne.gov |access-date=7 February 2019}} Development activities there are also encouraged by relatively simple permitting and significant available transmission capacity.{{cite web|url=http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/is-texas-about-to-embark-on-a-solar-development-boom|title=Is a Solar Development Boom About to Begin in Texas?|website=greentechmedia.com|access-date=7 February 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us/re_solar.htm|title=State Energy Conservation Office|first=Texas Comptroller of Public|last=Accounts|website=www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us|access-date=23 April 2018}}

Solar farms

File:Oltmann 000440 172881 516892 4578 (36567529110).jpg

The capacity of large solar farms in Texas has increased substantially in recent years. Facilities sized between 5 and 50 MW began to come online throughout the state between about 2010 and 2015.[http://www.ocisolarpower.com/], OCI Solar Power{{cite web|url=http://cleantechnica.com/2012/01/12/city-of-austin-activates-largest-texas-solar-farm/|title=City of Austin Activates Largest Texas Solar Farm - CleanTechnica |website=cleantechnica.com |access-date=23 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cpsenergy.com/Services/Generate_Deliver_Energy/Solar_Power/Blue_Wing_Solar_Farm/Blue_Wing_faqs.asp#question3|title=FAQ|website=cpsenergy.com|access-date=23 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109030424/http://www.cpsenergy.com/Services/Generate_Deliver_Energy/Solar_Power/Blue_Wing_Solar_Farm/Blue_Wing_faqs.asp#question3|archive-date=9 November 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.juwisolar.com/blue-wing-solar/|title=Blue Wing Solar Farm |website=juwisolar.com |access-date=23 April 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426160344/http://www.juwisolar.com/blue-wing-solar/|archive-date=26 April 2012}} Since then, progressively larger farms have been constructed in the western counties, with the electricity being contracted by utilities which serve the more populated central and eastern regions.[http://www.luminant.com/upton-2-solar-power-plant-achieves-commercial-operation/ Upton Solar], Vistra Energy, 2018[http://recurrentenergy.com/portfolio/roserock/ Roserock Solar], Recurrent Energy, 2016[http://georgetown.org/2018/06/29/georgetowns-energy-100-percent-renewable-with-solar-plant/ Georgetown’s energy 100 percent renewable with solar plant], georgetown.org, June, 2018[http://174powerglobal.com/our-projects/ Midway Solar], 174 Power Global, 2018 The three largest operating facilities as of 2018 are the 180 MW Upton farm in Upton County, and the 157 MW Roserock and 154 MW Buckthorn farms in Pecos County. Smaller installations by individuals, cooperatives, and businesses are also continuing to add significant capacity, with some of top contractors in the state including Meridian Solar, Longhorn Solar, Axium Solar and Native.{{cite web|url=http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2013/10/solar-power-world-top-250-top-solar-contractors-texas/|title=The Solar Power World Top 250: The Top Solar Contractors In Texas|website=www.solarpowerworldonline.com|access-date=23 April 2018}}

Statistic

File:SolarGIS-Solar-map-USA-en.png]]

=Installed capacity=

style="background-color: #cfb;" \|Year ! style="background-color: #cfb;" \|Capacity ! style="background-color: #cfb;" \|Change ! style="background-color: #cfb;" \|% Change
class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;" \|+ Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW){{cite web\|url=http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/IRECSolarMarketTrends-2012-web.pdf\|page=17\|title=U.S. Solar Market Trends 2011\|author=Sherwood, Larry\|publisher=Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)\|date=August 2012\|access-date=2012-08-16\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120906231846/http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/IRECSolarMarketTrends-2012-web.pdf\|archive-date=2012-09-06}}{{cite web\|url=http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IREC-Solar-Market-Trends-Report-June-2011-web.pdf\|title=U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010\|author=Sherwood, Larry\|publisher=Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)\|date=June 2011\|access-date=2011-06-29}}{{Cite web\|url=http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IREC-Solar-Market-Trends-Report-2010_7-27-10_web1.pdf\|title=U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009\|author=Sherwood, Larry\|publisher=Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)\|date=July 2010\|access-date=2010-07-28\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925184512/http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IREC-Solar-Market-Trends-Report-2010_7-27-10_web1.pdf\|archive-date=2010-09-25}}{{cite web \|url= http://irecusa.org/fileadmin/user_upload/NationalOutreachDocs/SolarTrendsReports/IREC_Solar_Market_Trends_Report_2008.pdf \|title= U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008 \|last= Sherwood \|first= Larry \|publisher= Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) \|date= July 2009 \|page= 16 \|access-date= 2010-07-24 \|url-status= dead \|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091123030109/http://www.irecusa.org/fileadmin/user_upload/NationalOutreachDocs/SolarTrendsReports/IREC_Solar_Market_Trends_Report_2008.pdf \|archive-date= 2009-11-23 }}{{cite web \|url= http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Solar-Report-Final-July-2013-1.pdf \|title= U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012 \|last= Sherwood \|first= Larry \|publisher= Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) \|date=July 2012 \|page= 16 \|access-date= 2013-10-11}}{{cite web\|url= https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/texas-solar\|title=Texas Solar\|publisher=SEIA\|access-date=2016-04-23}}
2007	3.2
2008	4.4	1.2	38%
2009	8.6	4.2	95%
2010	34.5	25.9	301%
2011	85.6	51.1	148%
2012	140.3	54.7	64%
2013	215.9	75.6	54%
2014	387	129	79%
2015	594	207	53%
2016	1,269	675	113%
2017	1,982	713	56%
2018	2,925	943	48%
2019	4,324	1,399	48%
2020	7,785	3,460	80%
2021	13,845	6,060	78%
2022	17,247	3,402	25%
2023 \|22,872 \|5,625 \|33%

=Generation=

==Utility-scale==

Using data available from the U.S. Energy Information Agency's Electric Power Annual 2017"Electric Power Annual State Data"[http://eia.gov/electricity/data/state] 1990-2017 Existing Name Plate and Summer Capacity by Energy Source and State retrieved 2019-3-17 and "Electric Power Monthly Data Browser","Electric Power Monthly Data Browser" [http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly] Table 1.17B retrieved 2019-3-15"Electric Power Monthly Data Browser "[http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly] Report 1.14 retrieved 2017-6-17"Electric Power Monthly Data Browser "[http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly] Report 1.13 retrieved 2017-6-17"Electric Power Monthly Data Browser "[http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly] Report 1.6 retrieved 2019-3-17{{cite web|title=Electricity Data Browser|url=http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/|publisher=U.S. Department of Energy|date=March 28, 2018|access-date=September 25, 2021}} the following tables summarize Texas's solar energy posture.

File:2017 TX Solar Energy Generation Profile.jpg

\| 2018 \|\| 52\|\| 1,948.2 \|\|0.196 \|\|57.1%
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Utility-scale solar capacity in Texas !Year !Facilities !Summer capacity (MW) !Capacity factor !Yearly growth of generating capacity
2017	39	1,240.2	0.201	114%
2016		578.9	0.144	82%
2015		317.9	0.144	71%
2014		185.7	0.173

Capacity factor for each year was computed from the end-of-year summer capacity.

2018 data is from Electric Power Monthly and is subject to change.

Year ! Total ! % growth ! % of TX renewables ! % of TX total ! % of US solar ! Jan ! Feb ! Mar ! Apr ! May ! Jun ! Jul ! Aug ! Sep ! Oct ! Nov ! Dec
class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;" \|+ Utility-scale solar generation in Texas (GWh)
align=right \| 2010	8					0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	3
align=right \| 2011	29					1	2	2	3	3	4	3	4	3	2	1	1
align=right \| 2012	120					4	4	6	9	13	14	12	13	11	10	9	15
align=right \| 2013	163					8	10	15	12	15	16	17	18	15	14	9	14
align=right \| 2014	283	73%	0.70%	0.06%	1.5%	11	8	17	19	26	26	30	32	34	37	26	17
align=right \| 2015	401	42%	0.80%	0.09%	1.6%	20	20	25	26	26	41	47	50	43	36	22	45
align=right \| 2016	732	32.9%	1.2%	0.16%	2.0%	44	54	51	53	49	65	71	58	78	78	65	66
align=right \| 2017	2,188	199%	3.0%	0.48%	4.1%	88	113	175	199	240	231	242	218	182	201	152	147
align=right \| 2018	3,206	52.9%	4.1%	0.70%	5.0%	204	195	254	250	294	380	365	352	268	217	233	194
align=right \| 2019	4,367					241	239	289	428	398	477	491	464	396	360	272	312
align=right \| 2020	8,538					354	420	443	572	842	916	1,166	1,075	843	727	591	589
align=right \| 2021	14,137					648	647	1,002	955	1,233	1,424	1,546	1,615	1,638	1,361	1,069	999
align=right \| 2022	22,165					1,312	1,411	1,690	1,764	2,106	2,406	2,662	2,227	2,339	1,894	1,244	1,110
align=right \| 2023	32,402					1,545	1,474	2,094	2,603	3,072	3,544	3,967	3,947	3,303	2,630	1,946	2,278
2024 \|20,912 \| \| \| \| \|2,263 \|2,679 \|3,303 \|3,509 \|4,129 \|5,028 \| \| \| \| \| \|

==Distributed==

Beginning with the 2014 data year, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has estimated the distributed solar generation and distributed solar capacity.[https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861m/ "Form EIA-861M (formerly EIA-826) detailed data"] retrieved 2021 3 31 These non-utility-scale appraisals evaluate that Texas generated the following amounts of additional solar energy:

\| 2020 \|\| 1092.6 \|\| 1612
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Estimated distributed solar generation in Texas[http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_1_17_b "Electric Power Monthly"] retrieved 2019 3 12 !Year !Summer capacity (MW) !Electric energy (GWh or M kWh)
\| 2019 \|\| 670.5 \|\| 1001
\| 2018 \|\| 474.7 \|\| 715
2017	309.1	476
2016	277.1	391
2015	147.2	223
2014	96	141

=Potential=

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.infinitepower.org/ressolar.htm |title=Texas' renewable energy resources|website=infinitepower.org|access-date=23 April 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120408055651/http://www.infinitepower.org/ressolar.htm |archive-date=8 April 2012}} The US uses about {{convert|100|quad|TWh|lk=on}} of energy each year.{{cite web|url=http://wilcoxen.maxwell.insightworks.com/pages/804.html |title=US Energy Consumption|website=wilcoxen.maxwell.insightworks.com|access-date=23 April 2018}} This number is expected to be reduced by 50% by 2050, due to efficiency increases.Makhijani, Arjun Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free, A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy 2007 {{ISBN|978-1-57143-173-8}} Texas has the potential to generate 22,787 TWh/year, more than any other state, from 7.743 TW of concentrated solar power plants, using 34% of Texas,{{cite web|url=http://www.nrel.gov/gis/re_potential.html |title=Renewable Energy Technical Potential|website=nrel.gov|access-date=23 April 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915115931/http://www.nrel.gov/gis/re_potential.html |archive-date=15 September 2012}} and 131.2 TWh/year from 97.8 GW of rooftop photovoltaic panels, 34.6% of the electricity used in the state in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy16osti/65298.pdf |title=Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States: A Detailed Assessment|website=nrel.gov|access-date=23 April 2018}} The 1,310-megawatt Samson Solar farm is under construction in northeastern Texas.{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Michelle |title=Texas will host the largest solar project in the US |url=https://electrek.co/2020/11/20/texas-largest-solar-project-us-samson/ |website=Electrek |date=20 November 2020}}

Texas electricity consumption in 2010 was 358.458 TWh, more than any other state, and 9.5% of the US total.{{cite web|url=http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/electricity_generation.cfm/state=TX |title=Electric Power and Renewable Energy in Texas|author=Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy|publisher=United States Department of Energy|date=2015-03-12|access-date=2016-04-25}}

References

External links

[https://solarsystemdallastx.com/ Solar Energy Systems Dallas County]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120411184258/http://www.txses.org/solar/ Texas Solar Energy Society]
Solar maps: [https://www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html NREL annual and monthly], [https://www.ercot.com/content/gridinfo/etts/solar/presentations/Texas_Solar_Map_1_.pdf ERCOT1], [https://www.ercot.com/content/gridinfo/etts/solar/presentations/Texas_Solar_Map_2_.pdf ERCOT2], [https://web.archive.org/web/20141016200440/http://www.seia.org/map/majorprojectsmap.php US installations]

Category:Energy in Texas

Texas

Category:Solar power in Texas