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                                 What's Happening in Texas?

                      With the occasional national and world solar news update

                                                    

5/10/13 National - Rooftop solar appears to be in a battle with utilities over compensation for power produced that goes back to the grid...more 

5/9/13 San Antonio- CPS Energy backs off its plan to slash solar credits...more

4/2/13 Pflugerville - Solar energy to light downtown...   more

4/9 Fort Bliss- 20MW solar farm to contribute power to Fort Bliss. This remarkable Army base intends to be net zero by 2018!...more

4/9/13 San Antonio- CPS Energy plan to change solar credit rate outrages the city solar community. Read all the coverage on the Solar San Antonio website

CPS Energy Plan To Change Solar Credit Rate Outrages Advocates

roposes to cut rates paid

4/2/13 National - Solar powered plane flies across US...more

3/27/13 Houston -Advocates pushing solar for Houston businesses...more

3/26/13 Austin - 224kW system installed on Palmer Auditorium...more

3/24/13 Dripping Springs -KDRP, located in Dripping Springs, is the first radio station in Texas to be 100 percent powered by the sun. A large solar panel installed near the station’s tower powers its signal....more 

3/21/13 Houston - Solar panels keep Houston zoo carts on the move...more

3/6/13 El Paso - UTEP Engineering professors awarded DoE grant to study deficiencies in solar panels and ways to make them more efficient. His goal is 25% efficiency!...more

3/6/13 Texas - Solar panels still rare among the steeples...more

3/3/13 The Legislature - Bill aims to make it easier for businesses to finance energy efficiency and water conservation measures, including renewable energy installations....more

3/1/13 UT Austin - The Department of Energy has given a roughly $500,000 grant to a UT research project that hopes to shed light on solar and non-solar energy use in Texas, with particular attention to what gets consumers amped up...more

2/27/13 San Antonio - Nexelon America begins construction on $100 million facility that will manufacture solar panels for operations in the local area....more

2/14/13 State- The electric utilities in San Antonio and Austin have installed four times more solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity than the rest of Texas combined, according to an Environment Texas Report ...more  And here's the view from North Texas in the Ft Worth Star Telegram

2/7/13 El Paso - City signs a deal with First Solar for 50MW of solar power. This project will provide electricity at one half the cost of "advanced" coal generated power...more

2/6/13 San Antonio - OCI Solar begins first phase of its 400 MW commitment with City.with construction of 41MW...more

2/1/13 Williamson County - Animal shelter receives $50,000 grant for solar array from TXSES business member Green Mountain Energy's  Sun Club....more

1/29/13 Statewide- According to new analysis from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), cost-competitive renewable energy is a reality under updated cost models that reflect current prices and performance data for solar and wind...more

1/16/13 National - Falling costs make sunny skies for U.S. Solar Industry...more

1/16/13 New Mexico - It's not Texas, but it's not far away either. They did use a Texas solar installer. The Army's largest solar array, 4.1 MW, is dedicated in White Sands. The installation includes 15,500 tracking panels spread over 42 acres,and was  installed by TXSES business member Texas Solar Power Compnay...more

1/14/13 Texas - Green Mountain Energy Sun Club donated 11 solar projects in 2012, eight of them in Texas...more

1/12/13 Pflugerville _ State Representative Mark Strama is currently working on a bill for this session that proposes solar paneling on school rooftops as a way to cut energy costs in a way that is also sustainable...more

1/11/13 Austin -  With very little fanfare, the Austin City Council last month approved the first solar-lease project – an innovative financial model that allows nonprofits, schools, and other cash-strapped entities to reap the benefits of solar without busting the bank to pay for it. ...more

1/2/13 UT Austin - Could transformer-level batteries shield the grid from the next super storm?...more

1/2/13 National -Wind energy tax credits saved in fiscal deal..more

12/13/12  San Antonio - Solar manufacturing plant to be built in San Antonio...more

12/5/12 Brownsville -The Gladys Porter Zoo will soon flip the switch on solar energy panels that will save the Brownsville landmark nearly $500,000 during 30 years...more