Clean Energy In the News

A coalition of environmental groups, green businesses and public officials have joined forces in pressing Texas officials to promote solar power in the state.

In an event Wednesday at a solar-powered home in Houston's Upper Kirby area,the Go Solar Texas coalition released a report on how Texas businesses would benefit from state incentives and sent a letter to Gov. Rick Perry and the Public Utility Commission proposing ways to expand the state's solar power capacity.

The governor's office did not respond to a request for comment.

The coalition wants Perry to set a goal of developing 1,000 megawatts of solar by 2015 and 5,000 megawatts by 2025.

The Public Utility Commission is considering a rule that would require electric companies to obtain 500 megawatts of electricity, about the equivalent of a coal-fired power plant, from solar energy and other emerging renewable technologies by 2015.

The state has the largest potential solar capacity of any U.S. state but doesn't take advantage of it, according to the report.

Texas has already lost some solar businesses because it lacks better incentives, the report contends, pointing to PowerLight, a Round Rock company that left for California, and two other companies that chose to build manufacturing facilities in other states.

The coalition suggested state regulators create incentives, such as rebates, for integrating solar systems or pre-wiring for solar at the time of construction; adopting clean energy districts where Texans could repay loans for solar installation through property taxes; and making solar systems tax exempt.

The group also wants increased funding for research and development, and a ban on homeowner associations using deed restrictions to reject solar panel installations.

purva.patel@chron.com