Arizona, Phoenix Rank Near Top for Solar Installations
Mark Richardson, Producer
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
PHOENIX - Arizona, and particularly the city of Phoenix, are among the highest ranking areas in the country for installed solar panels, according to recent statistics.
Arizona was ranked third by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and Phoenix came in third in a ranking of major cities by Environment America. Jenifer Wong, an organizer with Environment Arizona, said the city has put a number of policies in place that have boosted the use of solar panels in both residential and commercial applications.
"Some of the past programs and policies that Phoenix has implemented has really helped spur the growth of solar," Wong said. "These things include the Solar Phoenix I and II programs, as well as net metering and the renewable-energy standard."
Wong said Phoenix had enough solar capacity at the end of last year to power more than 20,500 homes. She said the city ranked behind only Los Angeles and San Diego. Arizona ranked behind California and New Jersey in the state rankings for rooftop solar installations. The data in both studies is from 2015.
While Phoenix and Arizona have maintained their elite status in the solar-energy rankings, Wong said, there are policy proposals in the works that could begin to erode their positions.
"Right now, Arizona's largest utilities, including APS, TEP and UNS Electric, have come up with proposals to eliminate net metering, increase the basic service charge and impose a demand charge," she said, "which are all major roadblocks to solar."
Wong said Environment Arizona is encouraging the Arizona Corporation Commission to consider what it believes is best for the health of both the environment and the population, and reject power company proposals that would limit the growth of solar power.
For additional information: EIA data,
The Environment America report.
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