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CPS Energy is partnering with Ashtrom Renewable Energy to build a solar farm on San Antonio's South Side.
The project, named "El Patrimonio," fulfills a 20-year CPS Energy contract aimed at expanding renewable energy.
Frank Almaraz is Chief Operating Officer of CPS Energy and said environmental impact is at the forefront of discussions and solutions on renewable energy growth, and this is just the next step for CPS Energy.
“We’ve had, for decades now, goals around the amount of renewable generation that we would have, ultimately working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as SOx (sulfur oxides), NOx (nitrogen oxides), and particulates,” said Almaraz.
Those sulfur and nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, are major air pollutants that create a barrier on the glass of a solar panel, causing uneven dust accumulation and leading to significantly reduced efficiency.
Kevin Deters is chief operating officer of California-based contractor Solv Energy, in charge of engineering the project.
“Ultimately, the cost to build it and operate it, it is by far the cheapest form of power,” said Deters. "In today's market where the power demand is almost parabolic right now between data centers and other demands on the grid, the need for power is ever-increasing, so solar is the quickest to market."
Federal residential solar tax credits ended last year due to the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” meaning systems installed in 2026 do not qualify for these credits, but Deters added that even with the removal of subsidies, solar energy is the most affordable source to market and operate. Some states and local utility companies continue to offer independent incentives, such as property tax exemptions and net metering, even if the federal tax credit has expired for new 2026 systems.
"El Patrimonio" marks SOLV Energy's first project with Ashtrom Renewable Energy in Bexar County.
Yitsik Mermelstein is chief executive officer of Israel-based Ashtrom and said the response from the San Antonio community reaffirms the decision to build a new solar farm in South Texas.
"It is our second site in Texas, building on the success of our first project, delivering clean power to the residents of San Antonio," said Mermelstein. "It's a strategic extension of the Ashtrom group's commitment to the U.S. energy market."
Ashtrom completed the 306-megawatt "Tierra Bonita" project in Pecos County, West Texas in 2024, which also serves CPS Energy.
While large for the local area, "El Patrimonio" is small compared to the massive "utility-scale" farms in West or Southeast Texas, such as Roadrunner Solar, which spans over 2,700 acres. It is roughly twice the size of the original Alamo I project, which was considered the state's largest when it opened in 2013.
Construction for "El Patrimonio" is expected to be completed in 2027.
