Solar power in Arizona

Solar power in Arizona has the potential to, according to then-Governor Janet Napolitano, make Arizona "the Persian Gulf of solar energy". In 2012, Arizona had 1,106 MW of photovoltaic (PV) solar power systems, and 6 MW of concentrated solar power (CSP), bringing the total to over 1,112 megawatts (MW) of solar power. As an example, the Solana Generating Station, a 280 MW parabolic trough solar plant, when commissioned in 2013, was the largest parabolic trough plant in the world and the first U.S. solar plant with molten salt thermal energy storage.

A Renewable Portfolio Standard set by the Arizona Corporation Commission requires 15% renewable energy by 2025 among regulated utilities, 4.5% of which must come from distributed renewable energy sources.

History

The first commercial solar power system in the state was a 95 kilowatt (kW) single-axis tracking photovoltaic plant in Flagstaff, Arizona, opened in October 1997 and operated by Arizona Public Service (APS). In 1999, the city of Scottsdale covered an parking lot with photovoltaic panels, to both provide shaded parking, and generate 93 kW of solar power. In 2001 APS and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University constructed a 190 kW single-axis tracking photovoltaic power plant.

In 2001, the Springerville Generating Station Solar System was built by Tucson Electric Power, one of the first large scale photovoltaic power stations. Originally 4.6 MW, it has been expanded to 6.4 MW. In 2002, Love Field Airport, in Prescott, Arizona, began construction of a 5 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic power plant. By July 2006, it had a peak capacity of 2.879 MWAC.

The two operating concentrated solar power plants are the 1 MW Saguaro Solar Power Plant completed in 2005, the first commercial CSP plant of the 3rd millennium, and a 5 MW solar trough system at the University of Arizona Solar Tech Parks Arizona project which was completed in 2011.UA Tech Park Thermal Storage Demonstration Project The 280 MW Solano Generating Station is under construction. The 1.5 MW Maricopa Solar Power Plant completed in 2010, using Stirling dish technology, was decommissioned in September 2011 and sold at auction on April 17, 2012Former Stirling power plant in Peoria to be sold, disassembled to CondiSys Solar Technology of China, for $250,000.

In 2008, Governor Janet Napolitano said that Arizona had the potential to become "the Persian Gulf of solar energy". In 2012, the NREL determined that Arizona has the potential to install 5,147 GW of photovoltaic power plants, and/or up to 3,528 GW of concentrated solar power plants (CSP), sufficient to generate more than three times total US consumption in 2012. According to a study by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research, Arizona installed over 55 megawatts of solar power in 2010, doubling its 2009 increase of 21 MW, ranking it behind California (259 MW), New Jersey (137 MW), Florida (110 MW), and Nevada (61 MW). By the end of 2011, Arizona had installed 383 MW of photovoltaics, in third place, behind New Jersey, and California.

In 2012 the first 100 MW of the Agua Caliente Solar Project was connected to the grid, making it the largest photovoltaic power plant in North America, and third largest in the world, being slightly larger than the 97 MW Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant. By July, over 200 MW had been completed, making it the largest photovoltaic power plant in the world. By September 2012, 250 MW (AC) had been completed.

In January 2013, 150 MW of the 700 MW Mesquite Solar project photovoltaic power plant was completed. , 19 projects, with a total nameplate capacity of 13.45 gigawatts (GW) were seeking permission to build on federally owned BLM land in Arizona,Pending Solar Projects and one, the 300 MW Sonoran Solar Project was approved,Sonoran Solar Energy but the project fell through and not developed.

The Solana Generating Station completed testing in October 2013. The 280 MW parabolic trough solar plant is the largest plant of its type in the world. Solana includes six hours of power storage by molten salt. The plant will provide 5% of the power for Arizona Public Service, the state's largest utility.

Historically, Arizona has had one of the most successful solar incentive programs in the United States. However, as of February, 2013, the Arizona Corporation Commission has completely eliminated commercial incentives and has severely reduced the amount of residential incentives available. Still, some of the country's largest solar providers continue to do business in the state, including the largest solar contractor in the US, First Solar.

Community solar farms

Arizona has two community solar farms. Tucson Electric Power has a 1.6 MW community solar farm southeast of Tucson. Consumers can purchase 150 kWh for about $3/month. The 227 kW Trico Sun Farm in Marana allows Trico customers to purchase solar panels in one quarter increments for $920, and receive a credit of the output, about 36 kWh, each month for 20 years, worth about $5. Customers can purchase up to their average usage for the last 12 months, up to 10,000 watts.

Statistics Capacity

Arizona solar capacity (MWp)YearPhotovoltaicsCSPCapacityInstalled% changeCapacityInstalled% change 2007 18.9 2.8 17 1 0 2008 25.3 6.2 34 1 0 2009 46.2 21.1 83 1 0 2010 110.0 63.6 138 2.5 1.5 150 2011 397.6 287.8 261 6 3.5 140 2012 1,106.4 708.8 178 6 0 0 2013 1,563.1 423.7 37 283.7 277.3 2014 2,069 287.8 32 283.7 0 0 2015 2,303 234 11 283.7 0 0 2016 2,943 640 27.7 283.7 0 0 2017 3,423 480 16.3 283.7 0 0 2018 3,863 440 12.9 283.7 0 0 2019 4,645.9 782.9 20.2 283.7 0 0 2020 5,175.7 529.8 11.4 283.7 0 0 2021 5,643.6 467.9 9 2022 6,330 686.4 12 20237,6751,34521

Generation

+Arizona utility-scale solar electric generation"Electric Power Monthly-Data Browser " retrieved 2019-3-17YearGeneration (GWh)Generation (% of AZ total)Generation (% of US solar)201016<0.1%1.3%2011830.1%4.6%20129550.9%22.1%20132,1111.9%23.4%20143,1422.8%16.9%20153,4573.1%13.9%20163,7663.5%10.4%20174,9424.7%9.3%2018*5,1714.6%7.8%2019**6.6% (*) Preliminary data from Electric Power Monthly. (**) Data from Solar Energy Industries Association.

Beginning with the 2014 data year, the Energy Information Administration has estimated distributed solar photovoltaic generation and distributed solar photovoltaic capacity. These non-utility scale estimates project that, Arizona generated the following additional solar energy.

+ Estimated distributed solar electric generation in Arizona“Electric Power Monthly” |title=Electric Power Monthly (February 2019 with data for December 2018) – Table 6.2.B. Net Summer Capacity using Primarily Renewable Sources retrieved 2019 3 19“Electric Power Monthly” |title=Electric Power Monthly (February 2019 with data for December 2018) – Table 1.17.B. Net Generation from Solar Photovoltaic retrieved 2019 3 19YearSummer capacity (MW)Electric energy (GWh or M kWh) 2014 511.7 916 2015641.6 1,370 2016 871.8 1,655 2017 1068.6 1,893 2018 1262.9 2,307

Large solar farms

MW Name County Location Technology Notes 400 Mesquite Solar project Maricopa County west of Arlington photovoltaic 150 MW phase 1 online Jan 2013 100 MW phase 2 online Dec 2016 150 MW phase 3 online Dec 2016 Total of 700 MW proposed. 290 Agua Caliente Solar Project Yuma County Palomas Plain photovoltaic 290 MW AC online April 2014280 Solana Generating Station Maricopa County southwest of Phoenix solar thermal with 6 hours storage Two 140 MW generators online October 2013. 125 Arlington Valley Solar Energy II Maricopa County west of Arlington photovoltaic 125 MW AC online May 2013 100 East Line Solar Pinal County Coolidge photovoltaic 100 MW AC online December 2020 100 Central Line Solar Pinal County Between Coolidge and Eloy photovoltaic 100 MW AC online April 28, 2022 100 Saint Solar Pinal County Casa Grande photovoltaic 100 MW AC online December 2020 100 West Line Solar Pinal County Eloy photovoltaic 100 MW AC online February 7 2023 45 Sandstone Pinal County Florence photovoltaic 45 MW AC online February 2016 Proposed and under construction MW Name County Location Technology Notes 600 Jove Solar Project La Paz County south of Salome photovoltaic 400 CO Bar Solar Coconino County northwest of Flagstaff photovoltaic 340 Hualapai Valley Solar Project Mohave County Hualapai Valley parabolic trough 325 Hyder Valley Solar Energy Project Yuma County Palomas Plain parabolic trough 200 MW phase 1, 125 MW phase 2 300 Sonoran Solar Project Maricopa County south of Buckeye photovoltaic Approved late 2011Solar Development on Public Lands in Arizona 300 Pioneer Clean Energy Yuma photovoltaic 1.2 GWh battery 215 Crossroads Solar Energy Project Maricopa County west of Gila Bend solar power tower with 10 hours of heat storage; 65 MW of PV 200 Brittlebush Solar, (previously called Randolph Solar) Pinal County Adjacent to Coolidge Generating Station photovoltaic 200 MW 100 Quartzsite Solar Energy Project La Paz County north of Quartzsite power tower 60 Babbit Ranch Solar and Storage Project Coconino County northwest of Flagstaff photovoltaic 205 Catclaw Maricopa County Buckeye photovoltaic 250 MW / 1 GWh battery

Net metering As of June 2021, Arizona was served primarily by Arizona Public Service company, Tucson Electric Power and UniSource Energy Services.

In 2008, Arizona had one of the most consumer-friendly net metering laws in the country. Excess generation is rolled over month to month, and any surplus was returned annually to the consumer at the avoided cost rate. IREC best practices, based on experience, recommends perpetual roll over of kWh credits. Arizona had 642 MW of rooftop solar in 2015.2016 State of the Interconnection page 10-14 + 18-23. WECC, 2016. Archive Historically, the states' utilities have led repeated, failed efforts to eliminate net metering. After a year of wrangling with the solar industry, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) decided in December 2016 to lower net-metering reimbursement rates significantly, leading to a temporary lull in rooftop solar installations because the lower rates made solar installations less economical for most residential and commercial installations. In 2017, ACC approved stopping net metering entirely.

In September 2018, Tucson Electric introduced a new solar export program for homeowners.

Renewable Portfolio Standard

The Arizona Renewable Portfolio Standard calls for 15% renewable energy by 2025, and 4.5% (30% of that) from distributed generation from renewable sources. Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), may be purchased to meet the requirement.

Arizona Solar Business Directory The Arizona Solar Business DirectoryArizona Solar Business Directory contains almost 100 solar installation companies that do business in Arizona and is maintained by the Arizona Solar Power Society. The business directory allows consumers and commercial customers to contact a number of different companies to get the best deal and best performing products in the solar industry.

Arizona Solar Watchdog Program The purpose of the Arizona Solar Watchdog ProgramArizona Solar Watchdog Program is to teach consumers how to check a solar installation contractor's license, credentials and work history. Every contractor in Arizona needs to be registered with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC). Each contractor is issued a Registrar of Contractors' license number, which can be looked up using the step-by-step process outlined under the Arizona Solar Watchdog Program.

Solar power in Arizona

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