Places of worship play an important part of San Antonio living. They provide a place for a community to come together for a sense of belonging, education, and spiritual growth. Despite the value they bring us, temples, churches, mosques, and synagogues still have bills to pay. So what’s one way they can cut down on its overhead without laying off any of its (most of the times) overworked staff? Going solar might be a viable option.
Making Solar Affordable for Nonprofits in 2026
In the past, nonprofit organizations like churches faced challenges going solar because they typically didn’t have a federal tax liability. The federal solar tax credit, which previously helped offset installation costs, expired on December 31, 2025. While that incentive is no longer available, solar can still be a smart investment for nonprofits looking to lower energy expenses and support sustainability initiatives.
Churches and other nonprofit organizations can now focus on local and utility programs, energy cost reduction, and financing options to make solar more affordable. Utility companies in Texas, such as CPS Energy and NBU, continue to offer rebates for commercial properties, which can significantly reduce upfront costs. Beyond rebates, solar panels help organizations save on monthly electricity bills, freeing up resources to fund programs and services. Strategic financing options, like solar loans or power purchase agreements, also allow nonprofits to install solar with minimal upfront investment, while long-term savings continue to accumulate. By designing systems that match an organization’s energy usage, nonprofits can maximize efficiency and realize a faster return on investment.
Additional Incentives and Opportunities
Even without federal tax credits, there are opportunities for additional savings. Certain programs may benefit organizations that serve specific populations, including low-income households or veterans. Combining these programs with local utility rebates and careful system design can make solar installation a financially viable choice. For nonprofits in San Antonio, solar remains a strategic way to reduce energy costs, gain energy independence, and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, even in a post-tax credit landscape.
Non-Financial Bonus Credits
Solar panels are a clean and safe (actually the safest) form of renewable energy available to most places of worship in the San Antonio area. By reducing their electric bill they’re reducing their reliance on contributions while promoting conservation and environmental stewardship. A common environmental concern people have about solar panels humorously suggests the energy consumed to have solar panels outweighs the benefits of a the systems productions.
The theory speculates that the amount of electricity to gather the materials, manufacture the panels and components, ship those materials to the distributor, then deliver them to the installer, then customer, as well as the electricity needed to power the tools, outweighs the energy produced by the solar panels. Maybe… if the panels only worked for a year, but solar panels last 25+ years. Furthermore, the materials needed to create solar panels primarily come from aluminum and silicon. Here you can find more information about the production of solar panels.
So let’s Recap…
Going solar brings a lot of benefits with a relatively short timeframe for the ROI (5 years is average for commercial properties). However, it can be hard to remember them all, especially which ones are available to your place of worship. For that reason, we made a handy list to help summarize them all.
- Nonprofits in San Antonio can save on solar installation costs through utility rebates, strategic system design, and financing options, even without the federal tax credit
- Solar panels provide long-term energy savings, energy independence, and sustainability benefits for churches and nonprofit organizations in Texas
- Many utility providers provide rebates for churches that go solar
- Going solar sends a good message to your congregation about environmental conservation
If you have any solar or backup power related questions unanswered here, please feel free to call us at (210) 401-9030 or send us an email at [email protected]. We’re always happy to help.
