The Oklahoma Senate Energy Committee held an interim study on Monday to examine the feasibility of cost savings for school districts using solar energy. State Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, filed a request for the interim study after attending a presentation that highlighted lower utility costs associated with a transition to solar energy. The interim study …
Category: Solar Energy in Oklahoma
Solar power in Oklahoma to be studied by Senate committee
It would appear that only one interim study on energy will be handled in the Oklahoma Senate before the start of the 2020 legislative session. The list of 72 interim studies was released by the Senate President Pro Tempore’s Office on Tuesday. Education, health care and mental health services, criminal justice policies, and retirement issues …
Slow growth seen in OKC’s home solar-loan program
Over the course of the 8 years a solar-loan program has existed in the Oklahoma City municipal government, only about $900,000 has been loaned to homeowners who want solar power. The Green Home Loan Program made its first loans in April of 2011. Since then, Oklahoma City has made $906,918.19 in loans to 117 homeowners. …
Oklahoma’s solar power development dropped in 2018
Solar energy development continues to be slow in Oklahoma and a new report shows the state actually dropped one slot in the national ranking of solar power. The Solar Energy Industries Association issued a report this week ranking Oklahoma 46th lowest for solar energy, a drop from 45th in 2018. The report showed 4,604 homes …
Solar power reimbursement bill filed by freshman State Senator
Freshman state Senator Mary B. Boren of Norman’s filed a bill to be considered that would affect producers of solar energy power. Her Senate Bill 529 would apply where solar power is produced in excess of on-site requirements. It would compensate a producer when the retail purchase meter runs in reverse. The bill stated that …
Solar industry suffers slump in production
While Oklahoma has a few commercial solar operations, such as those installed by OGE in northwest Oklahoma and near its Mustang power plant in Oklahoma City, the state has yet to grasp the idea of solar power. And recently the U.S. Energy Information Administration indicated the installation of solar power has slowed across the U.S. …
OEC Offers Free Tour of Norman Solar Garden
Oklahoma Electric Cooperative is offering a free tour of Norman’s first solar garden. The next tour is scheduled for August 21, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Over the past decade, the price of solar panels has diminished while a record number of installations have cropped up across the nation. OEC’s aim is to allow you to …
Solar power is growing in rural areas of Oklahoma and the U.S.
As Ron Hays at the Oklahoma Farm Report notes, more farmers in the U.S. are taking advantage of solar power for their electricity needs. Federal tax credits and lower costs are spurring more solar growth in rural areas. While Oklahoma does not have much commercial solar development, it is growing. OGE has created three solar …
Intel Boasts of Growing Solar Power at its campuses
While solar power development is only in occasional use in Oklahoma, it’s growing in some states to the southwest. Intel reports it now has enough solar panels to cover 52 regulation football fields or 47 full-size soccer fields. In a recent announcement, Intel estimated it has installed 3 million square feet of solar arrays at …
Energy Savings Reported at Solar Rooftop Program at Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas
A solar rooftop program for homes at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas is reporting first-year energy cost savings. Balfour Beatty Communities, the firm that installed the photovoltaic panels on home roofs in the Sheppard AFB Homes community says the savings were more than $30,000. Sheppard AFB Homes is a Balfour Beatty Communities …