$30 Million Solar Initiative Advances 2040 Zero Net Energy Goal
Published on September 06, 2024
SAN ANTONIO (September 6, 2024) – The largest on-site solar program by a local Texas government is currently under construction in San Antonio, with six of the 42 municipal projects already commissioned. The $30 million initiative involves the installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar canopy shade structures at various City-owned facilities, moving San Antonio closer to its 2040 goal of achieving zero net energy for all municipal buildings.
“This initiative sets a national example for an innovative approach in expanding rooftop solar through municipal building installation,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. “Collectively, the municipal rooftop projects will offset an estimated 11 percent of the City’s electricity consumption from its buildings, significantly boosting our sustainability efforts.”
On September 5, the City hosted a community event, including a commissioning ceremony and family movie night, at the Southwest Service Center to officially bring the project online. The site features solar canopies and provides 200 covered parking spaces for City employees. The 653kW system is designed to offset approximately 70 percent of the facility’s annual electricity consumption.
“San Antonio continues to lead by example,” Douglas Melnick, Chief Sustainability Officer said. “This project is just one of the many programs and initiatives to help us reach our net zero goal outlined in the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. Sunshine is abundant in San Antonio, and it’s exciting to harness that to bring about climate action and financial savings for our City.”
The six commissioned projects total 1.29MW of solar capacity.
- Jean Yates Community Center, 568 Rasa Dr., District 4 Rooftop Installation
- Southside Lions Senior Center, 3303 Pecan Valley Dr., District 3 Rooftop Installation
- West Police Substation, 7000 Culebra Rd., District 5 Parking Lot Canopy Installation
- Pre-K 4 SA East, 5230 Eisenhauer Rd., District 5 Rooftop Installation
- Melendrez Community Center, 5919 W Commerce St., District 5 Rooftop Installation
- Southwest Service Center, 6927 W. Commerce St., District 5 Parking Lot Canopy Installation
Big Sun Solar, a San Antonio-based commercial solar company, is developing the program under a services agreement with the City.
“Achieving this level of progress required extensive planning, a strong focus on project management, and coordination with various City departments to ensure minimal disruption to their operations,” Jason Pittman, Co-Founder and President of Big Sun Solar said.
To learn more about the program and project status for each facility, visit the Office of Sustainability’s website.