SolarCity politely disagrees with APS and First Solar on utility scale solar cost

By Herman K. Trabish  | GreenTech Media

In First Solar’s recent defense of Arizona Public Service, it echoed the utility’s claim that utility-scale solar is the least-cost solar option.

But is utility-scale solar really cheaper than distributed rooftop solar?

In a June op-ed, First Solar CEO James Hughes contended that APS is “right to seek the highest volume of solar power at the lowest cost to rate-paying customers,” adding that “the cost per installed watt of utility-scale systems is as little as one-third that of rooftop systems.”

The two points — that utilities should seek the least-cost option for ratepayers and that utility-scale solar costs less to build — should be considered separately, according to Meghan Nutting, SolarCity Policy/Electricity Markets Director. The Arizona Corporation Commission staff last year concluded that distributed solar and not utility-scale solar is the least-cost renewable resource for utility customers, Nutting observed.

Solar City 2Continued:

 (Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents SolarCity.)

Share this!

Additional Articles

Top master-planned communities for 2024

By AZ Big Media Here are the Top 10 master-planned communities in Arizona, based on public voting for the 2024 edition of Ranking Arizona, the state’s biggest and most comprehensive business opinion poll. Ranking Arizona

Read More »
News Categories

Get Our Twice Weekly Newsletter!

* indicates required

Rose Law Group pc values “outrageous client service.” We pride ourselves on hyper-responsiveness to our clients’ needs and an extraordinary record of success in achieving our clients’ goals. We know we get results and our list of outstanding clients speaks to the quality of our work.