Solar Energy

SAN BENITO - Energy conservation officials from around Texas and four Mexican states bordering Texas, came to the city's water treatment plant on Tuesday to showcase what Texas General Land Office officials say is the largest solar array south of San Antonio.

A tour of the $325,000 solar facility was led by GLO and city officials.

GLO Deputy Rrenewable Energy Commissioner Dwain Rogers said the tour was intended to encourage development of solar energy projects in the region.

"We have a success here," Rogers said. "Now let's not only build on it but let's figure out other projects ... that could either use this model or other models to try to bring the benefits of solar ... to the border region."

GLO officials said the solar panels, which became operational last fall, produce about 10 percent of the plant's power to filter about 6 million gallons of water daily.

"The idea of putting this array here is to show city and state government people that they can connect renewable energy to their public infrastructure projects and it can make both technical ... and financial sense," Rogers said.

Ernestina Torres Reyes, president of the Mexican National Solar Association, said the projects such as the one here are the beginning of what can be accomplished in the future with solar energy.

"This is a very interesting example, for all energy consumers, of how they can drive down costs with clean technology," she said in Spanish.

"This represents what they've been able to accomplish with clean energy in Texas."