State Sen. Shapleigh Proposes Solar Energy Bills

A local lawmaker wants to make the Sun City the “Solar Energy Capital of Texas”.

State Senator Eliot Shapleigh has introduced a package of bills in Austin that are intended to help people in El Paso save money if they invest in solar energy.

He went to Tom Lea Park to pitch his idea to the community, saying, “imagine how oil was in the Permian Basin…that’s how solar will be in El Paso.”

Shapleigh says a shift toward renewable energy could create jobs for the Sun City.

In one of his bills, SB 619, people could save on the sales tax if they decide to invest in solar panels for their home or business.

Right now, he says, the cost of putting a solar panel on a roof is high, ranging from $15,000 to $20,000.

In another one of his bills, SB 618, homeowners would have an easier time selling the excess power they create back to the electric company.

Representatives from El Paso’s Solar Energy Association as well as students from UTEP’s civil engineering department have expressed enthusiasm for Shapleigh’s proposals.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether or not El Pasoans are willing to pay for solar panels up front.

Shapleigh says his bills should hit the Senate Floor this week, and if all goes as planned, hopes for them to become law by September.