The South Side is quickly becoming a hotbed for the solar energy industry.

And it's not just solar farms, according to Steven Nivin, an economist at St. Mary's University and member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“San Antonio has the beginnings of a new energy cluster, a whole supply chain for the solar industry,” said Nivin, who authored a June economic impact study on solar-related activity in San Antonio. “If you can develop that cluster, as opposed to just (drawing in) a few manufacturers, we'll have a whole ecosystem, and the industry will really thrive.”

According to Nivin's study, solar power is behind about 378 new jobs and $117 million worth of investment in the area, with more than 1,000 additional jobs projected to spring up in the next five years. According to CPS Energy officials, most of this development comes as a direct result of the utility's deal with a consortium led by OCI Solar Power for 400 megawatts of power.

via South Side a solar incubator – San Antonio Express-News.