Sponsored Post – from Revolve Solar

You know how everything’s generally bigger in Texas? Well, depending on how you interpret the latest numbers from the 2015 U.S. Solar Market Insight Report, the amount of solar in the Lone Star state did get a little bit bigger, though we as a state have a long, long way to go before we have the largest installed capacity. But in all seriousness, no—we actually had a phenomenal year as an industry. That’s true for the U.S. as a whole, and it’s especially true for Texas.

In its annual report, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) reports that the U.S. added a whopping 7,260 megawatts (MW) of new solar in 2015, which—by Texas standards—is enough to power just under 775,000 homes. This marks the single largest year for solar and an increase of 16 percent over the 2014 numbers. Additionally, solar beat out natural gas additions for the first time ever, contributing 29.4 percent of all new electric generating capacity brought online last year.

Texas solar grew by 60 percent in 2015, adding an additional 207 MW of solar electric capacity. Although it’s a far cry from California’s 3,266 MW, Texas ranked 9th overall for annual added capacity. For cumulative installed capacity, Texas ranks 10th overall with 534 MW of solar energy. This is enough to power approximately 57,000 homes.

So, what’s the deal? Why aren’t we No.1 or at least in the top three solar states? After all, there’s plenty of land, abundant sunshine, and we Texans have the sunniest of dispositions. What’s more, we lead the nation in wind power with over 17,000 MW currently installed and another 5,000 MW under construction.

Well, part of the problem rests with our lack of strong, state-level incentives and initiatives that encourage solar adoption, particularly at the residential level. In fact, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) and Vote Solar recently gave Texas an “F” grade on their “Freeing the Grid” report, noting a lack of effective interconnection and net metering policies. Having strong renewable energy policies ultimately spurs in-state economic development and helps individual states meet their ambitious emission cuts. Adding more renewable energy also serves to enhance the security and reliability of the electric grid.

But Texas doesn’t currently have anything that robust. Solar customers generally receive no compensation for any excess solar energy they contribute to the electrical grid. Granted, there are some exceptions to this, most notably in the services areas of El Paso Electric (EPE) and Austin Energy. Solar customers living in Austin Energy territory, for example, enjoy the unique Value of Solar Tariff that compensates residential energy producers for the energy their systems feed into the grid. Think of it as a kind of reward for doing good by the environment and generating clean, renewable energy. Austin Energy customers also enjoy a generous solar rebate currently valued at $800 per kilowatt. When paired with the 30 percent federal Investment Tax credit for qualifying solar projects, the Austin Energy Solar Rebate could potentially cut a homeowner’s cost of going solar in half.

See Also: Your Comprehensive Guide to Austin’s Solar Rebates and Incentives

The good news (and there’s always good news with solar), is that the Texas solar industry is still in the early days, and by all accounts it’s only a matter of time before the sleeping solar giant wakes up. Already we have a multitude of utility-scale solar projects online or coming online like the Alamo Solar Farms. Additionally, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is predicting a 50-fold increase in the amount of solar over the next 15 years.

So get excited Texas, big things are coming for our state solar industry. Combined with our ever-growing wind capacity,  solar energy is going to lead Texas to a cleaner, more sustainable future. And I reckon that’s the biggest thing we can ask for.

Fun Fact: Did you know Texas has more solar workers than ranchers? As of December 2015, Texas employs over 7,000 individuals and is home to more than 445 solar companies.