TEXAS — Back in 2023, San Antonio City Council approved a multi-million dollar municipal solar project — offsetting how much the city spends on electricity every year.
“Here in San Antonio, we have an abundance of sun, so why not use it,” said San Antonio’s Director of Resilience and Sustainability Laura Patino. “It’s free energy that we can recapture to power our buildings.”
Texas leads the nation in solar energy production.
“We’re now standing under the solar canopy, and it feels a lot cooler and that is one of the benefits that we have from the carport canopy,” Patino said.
It’s a renewable energy source that San Antonio is investing in — in a big way.
“We received $30.7 million in approval to install the first and largest municipal solar program in Texas,” Patino said.
Patino says utility costs will be cut by 11%.
“That’s direct savings that are demonstrating good use of taxpayers’ dollars,” Patino said.
Big Sun Solar was selected to develop and manage the project. The company is installing solar canopies, or rooftop panels, at 52 city-owned sites across town.
“It’s providing shade, but it also is ensuring that we’re alleviating the impact of the grid,” Patino said. “So that is about 60% of energy usage what this building usually takes from the grid, is now being produced on site, making it truly resilient.”
From community centers to libraries and fire stations, these solar panels are ensuring residents have a safe place to come during extreme weather.
“If there is a power outage, or we have a disruption in the grid, this building can continue to operate to serve as a residence hub,” Patino said.
With this investment in solar energy, Patino says the city anticipates at least $7 million in federal tax credits over the next 25 years.
“We received the first check for the U.S. Department of Treasury that was $1.2 million in tax rebates coming directly to the city for the first six projects that were installed in 2024,” Patino said.
Once complete, this solar project will generate about 13 megawatts of energy, which could power thousands of homes.
Patino says these solar parking canopies will help lessen the impact of hotter temperatures often felt within cities.
“Directly contributing to mitigate the urban heat island effect we feel in San Antonio,” Patino said.
San Antonio is about halfway through with the on-site solar installation — the second largest municipal government project in the country.
“We’re looking at alternative sources of energy so that we can sustain that demand and ensure we can continue with our operations while reducing the cost,” Patino said.