Texas has Solar Power Potential

The state with the most potential for solar energy generation is a major underachiever, according to a new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Numbers from the 2009 Solar Industry Year in Review include both photovoltaic and concentrated solar power.

Texas does not appear in the top ten states with new installed solar capacity in 2009, nor is it in the top ten for cumulative solar capacity. In both categories, Texas trails smaller, less sunny states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey. California leads both lists, with 220 megawatts installed in 2009, and a cumulative capacity of 1,102 megawatts.

The report is good news for the US on balance, given the economic recession that dominated the country throughout 2009. The American solar industry grew by 37%, according to SEIA's analysis.

“Despite the Great Recession of 2009, the U.S. solar industry had a winning year and posted strong growth numbers,” said Rhone Resch, SEIA president and CEO. “When the President looks back at how stimulus dollars were invested, he’s going to see that solar was one of the best returns on investments in 2009 for the American taxpayers."

When Texas gets its solar act together, experts say the state could be a legitimate solar superpower.