By Patrick O’Grady
Phoenix Business Journal
Arizona came in a very close second to California in the number of solar installations during the third quarter, and the Arizona Corporation Commission is taking some credit.
To be sure, there are a lot of people taking credit for the state finishing a scant 1.5 megawatts behind the Golden State, which along with New Jersey have been the main competitors in Arizona’s way of being top gun of solar installs.
But there’s always a story behind numbers, and reasons that are out of the hands of all the builders, installers, utilities and regulators that may get some of the credit. More on that in a bit.
The ACC has not been without its share of critics in how it has handled solar. The solar industry itself has banged the drum that the commission was hampering the industry. The concern was that by allowing utilities to lower incentives paid out to people who install solar, it would harm the industry.
The commission this week pointed out, however, that installation applications have gone up, at least in Arizona Public Service Co. territory, as incentives have dropped.
“Quite simply, the policies adopted by this commission over the last two years have put Arizona in the position of getting more solar at less cost,” said ACC Chairman Gary Pierce. “And that truly does benefit Arizona and our economy.”
