SAN ANTONIO – The city of San Antonio is among the top 10 cites in the nation in solar energy output.
"San Antonio is a star when it comes to solar power," said Anne Clark, a campaign organizer for the advocacy group Environment Texas.
In fact, the city was named a "Shining City" in a report released by the group on Thursday. The report ranked US cities with the best solar energy output. San Antonio came in at No. 7 on the list, 10th when population was factored in.
The Alamo City also ranked No. 1 in Texas, surpassing its neighbor to the north, Austin.
"We found that San Antonio had enough solar power energy online to power 8,000 homes," Clark said.
Sunny cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and San Jose ranked ahead of San Antonio.
High praise was given to city leaders and CPS Energy for its work with rebates and a new leasing program.
"So much of that is because of the tremendous work that the City Council has done," Clark said.
"It's growing exponentially; you can see it taking off. It's quite remarkable," said local solar contractor Skeets Rapier, who runs Renewable Republic.
Rapier said many residents have opted for solar power as it has become increasingly affordable.
"We went from zero to a thousand installations in less than 10 years here in San Antonio," Rapier said of the solar industry in San Antonio as a whole.
It is a trend that has also translated to more jobs, not only in San Antonio, but across the state of Texas. The industry is projected to grow even more, according to report.
Still, Environment Texas' report urged San Antonio to stay ahead of the curve in the increasingly competitive industry.