By Barry Goldwater Jr., former U.S. Congressman, chairman of T.U.S.K. | Arizona Capitol Times
Recently I spoke out in support of a critical effort underway in Arizona: keeping the state’s rooftop solar industry alive. Like school choice and health care choice, solar choice should be a core part of the Arizona agenda, and my party’s message. Unfortunately, utility monopolies in Arizona are trying to limit solar energy choice because more energy independence for Arizonans means smaller utility profits.
The more people that go solar, the less power they need to buy from utilities.
Fearing an inevitable change to their monopoly status, utilities are trying to kill net metering, a successful policy in 43 states that gives property owners fair credit for the solar they put on the grid.
It’s like the rollover minutes on your cell phone bill. It’s also one of the best policy tools helping homes, businesses, and schools invest private capital to install solar on their properties. If APS succeeds, the independent solar industry in Arizona will be crushed. That’s not a bluff. It’s the consequence. The monopoly will win if net metering is killed. Competition will lose.
