This goal will come at no great cost to the taxpayer either. Clark said the array would add about 60 cents a month to the average taxpayers bill. I think most households would gladly pay this knowing that their energy is clean and sustainable.

The city council has set a target to get 30% of its power from renewable sources by 2020.

However, not everyone is happy. Some major companies who use a lot of energy are complaining of having to pay possibly tens of thousands of dollars a year more for their power.

Also, City Council Member Mike Martinez said he is concerned the city is going forward with a costly project during a down economy.

Martinez said, "If we add to their utility cost, do we weaken them more causing them to layoff more and reduce their workforce more for a few hundred green jobs."

However, the city's Electric Utilities Commission voted unanimously 6-0 with one abstention to go ahead with the project.

Texas Solar Power Future

Texas has a large population of nearly 30 million people who use more power per capita than any other US state.

The state is becoming increasingly involved in a development of a large local solar energy industry for its energy needs and its ability to create new jobs.

According to David Power, the deputy director of Public Citizen Texas, there are more renewable energy bills promoting solar energy than ever before.

Power says, "There are senators and representatives that are talking about solar power that have never mentioned the word probably in their lives. We’ve actually heard the term ‘global warming,’ and two years ago that was called ‘the G word’ — you didn’t talk about it."

Mark Strama, a leading promoter of renewable energy said, "It just seems like everybody recognizes our leadership in wind, and that government policy got us where we are today in wind. With solar power, we need to catch up."

Some businesses, concerned about higher energy prices, urge caution.

The Texan capital city - Austin - is also aggressively pursuing solar energy and plans to build the largest solar photovoltaic plant in the country so that the local utility company, Austin Energy, can buy the electricity produced.

So it seems Texas solar power companies are finally making use of all that lovely sun on a grand scale.

Useful Resources

For detailed instructions on building your own DIY system click here.

Texas Aims To be Number One Solar Energy Producer

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