Solar power in Texas explained

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.[1] [2] Development activities there are also encouraged by relatively simple permitting and significant available transmission capacity.[3] [4]

Solar farms

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.[5] [6] [7] [8] 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.[9] [10] [11] [12] 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.[13]

Statistic

Installed capacity

Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW)[14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]
YearCapacityChange% Change
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 4,324.3 1,399.3 48%
2020 7,784.6 3,460.3 80%
2021 13,844.9 6,060.3 78%
2022 17,247 3,402.1 25%
202322,8725,62533%

Generation

Utility-scale

Using data available from the U.S. Energy Information Agency's Electric Power Annual 2017[20] and "Electric Power Monthly Data Browser",[21] [22] [23] [24] [25] the following tables summarize Texas's solar energy posture.

Utility-scale solar capacity in Texas!Year!Facilities!Summer capacity (MW)!Capacity factor!Yearly growth of generating capacity
2018521,948.2 0.196 57.1% -2017391,240.2 0.201 114% -2016578.9 0.144 82% -2015317.9 0.144 71% -2014185.7 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.

Utility-scale solar generation in Texas (GWh)
YearTotal% growth% of
TX renewables		% of
TX total		% of
US solar		JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
20108 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3
201129 1 2 2 3 3 4 3 4 3 2 1 1
2012120 4 4 6 9 13 14 12 13 11 10 9 15
2013 163 8 10 15 12 15 16 17 1815 14 9 14
2014 283 73%0.70%0.06%1.5%11 8 17 19 26 26 30 32 34 37 26 17
2015 401 42%0.80%0.09%1.6%20 20 25 26 26 41 47 50 43 36 22 45
2016 732 32.9%1.2%0.16%2.0%44 54 51 53 49 65 71 58 78 78 65 66
2017 2,188 199%3.0%0.48%4.1%88 113 175 199 240 231 242 218 182 201 152 147
2018 3,206 52.9%4.1%0.70%5.0%204 195 254 250 294 380 365 352 268 217 233 194
2019 4,367 241 239 289 428 398 477 491 464 396 360 272 312
2020 8,538 354 420 443 572 842 916 1,166 1,075 843 727 591 589
2021 14,137 648 647 1,002 955 1,233 1,424 1,546 1,615 1,638 1,361 1,069 999
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
2023 32,402 1,545 1,474 2,094 2,603 3,072 3,544 3,967 3,9473,3032,6301,9462,278
202420,9122,2632,6793,3033,5094,1295,028

Distributed

Beginning with the 2014 data year, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has estimated the distributed solar generation and distributed solar capacity.[26] These non-utility-scale appraisals evaluate that Texas generated the following amounts of additional solar energy:

Estimated distributed solar generation in Texas[27]

!Year!Summer capacity (MW)!Electric energy (GWh or M kWh)

20201092.6 1612 -
2019670.5 1001 -
2018474.7 715 -2017309.1 476 -2016277.1 391 -2015147.2223 -201496 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.[28] The US uses about 100quad of energy each year.[29] This number is expected to be reduced by 50% by 2050, due to efficiency increases.[30] 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,[31] and 131.2 TWh/year from 97.8 GW of rooftop photovoltaic panels, 34.6% of the electricity used in the state in 2013.[32] The 1,310-megawatt Samson Solar farm is under construction in northeastern Texas.[33]

Texas electricity consumption in 2010 was 358.458 TWh, more than any other state, and 9.5% of the US total.[34]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A State-By-State View Of U.S. Renewable Energy In 2017. solarindustrymag.com. 7 February 2019.
  2. Web site: Comparison of Solar Power Potential by State . neo.ne.gov . 7 February 2019.
  3. Web site: Is a Solar Development Boom About to Begin in Texas?. greentechmedia.com. 7 February 2019.
  4. Web site: State Energy Conservation Office. Texas Comptroller of Public. Accounts. www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us. 23 April 2018.
  5. http://www.ocisolarpower.com/
  6. Web site: City of Austin Activates Largest Texas Solar Farm - CleanTechnica . . 23 April 2018.
  7. Web site: FAQ. cpsenergy.com. 23 April 2018. 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. 9 November 2013. dead.
  8. Web site: Blue Wing Solar Farm . juwisolar.com . 23 April 2018. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120426160344/http://www.juwisolar.com/blue-wing-solar/. 26 April 2012.
  9. http://www.luminant.com/upton-2-solar-power-plant-achieves-commercial-operation/ Upton Solar
  10. http://recurrentenergy.com/portfolio/roserock/ Roserock Solar
  11. http://georgetown.org/2018/06/29/georgetowns-energy-100-percent-renewable-with-solar-plant/ Georgetown’s energy 100 percent renewable with solar plant
  12. http://174powerglobal.com/our-projects/ Midway Solar
  13. Web site: The Solar Power World Top 250: The Top Solar Contractors In Texas. www.solarpowerworldonline.com. 23 April 2018.
  14. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2011. 17. Sherwood, Larry. Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). August 2012. 2012-08-16. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120906231846/http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/IRECSolarMarketTrends-2012-web.pdf. 2012-09-06.
  15. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010. Sherwood, Larry. Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). June 2011. 2011-06-29.
  16. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009. Sherwood, Larry. Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). July 2010. 2010-07-28. dead. 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. 2010-09-25.
  17. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008 . Sherwood . Larry . Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) . July 2009 . 16 . 2010-07-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091123030109/http://www.irecusa.org/fileadmin/user_upload/NationalOutreachDocs/SolarTrendsReports/IREC_Solar_Market_Trends_Report_2008.pdf . 2009-11-23 .
  18. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012 . Sherwood . Larry . Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) . July 2012 . 16 . 2013-10-11.
  19. Web site: Texas Solar. SEIA. 2016-04-23.
  20. "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
  21. "Electric Power Monthly Data Browser" http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly Table 1.17B retrieved 2019-3-15
  22. "Electric Power Monthly Data Browser "http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly Report 1.14 retrieved 2017-6-17
  23. "Electric Power Monthly Data Browser "http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly Report 1.13 retrieved 2017-6-17
  24. "Electric Power Monthly Data Browser "http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly Report 1.6 retrieved 2019-3-17
  25. Web site: Electricity Data Browser. U.S. Department of Energy. March 28, 2018. September 25, 2021.
  26. https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861m/ "Form EIA-861M (formerly EIA-826) detailed data"
  27. http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_1_17_b "Electric Power Monthly"
  28. Web site: Texas' renewable energy resources. infinitepower.org. 23 April 2018. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120408055651/http://www.infinitepower.org/ressolar.htm . 8 April 2012.
  29. Web site: US Energy Consumption. wilcoxen.maxwell.insightworks.com. 23 April 2018.
  30. Makhijani, Arjun Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free, A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy 2007
  31. Web site: Renewable Energy Technical Potential. nrel.gov. 23 April 2018. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120915115931/http://www.nrel.gov/gis/re_potential.html . 15 September 2012.
  32. Web site: Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States: A Detailed Assessment. nrel.gov. 23 April 2018.
  33. Web site: Lewis . Michelle . Texas will host the largest solar project in the US . . 20 November 2020.
  34. Web site: Electric Power and Renewable Energy in Texas. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. United States Department of Energy. 2015-03-12. 2016-04-25.

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