(Editor’s note: Opinion pieces are published for discussions purposes only.)
My Turn: If rooftop and utility-scale solar should be valued the same, so should raw wheat and Honey Nut Cheerios.
By Jim Mapstead | The Republic
Arizona’s solar energy future is at stake as the Arizona Corporation Commission decides the value of solar at a hearing Monday and Tuesday. The commission is weighing whether to value rooftop solar, consumer-driven solar that saves Arizonans money by reducing their electricity bills, the same as utility scale solar, fields of solar panels installed in the desert by utilities.
As a business owner and former candidate for Phoenix City Council, I have always believed in putting people before well-heeled special interests. That debate is front and center at the Corporation Commission as members consider the differences between these two types of solar. Will commissioners recognize the benefits of producing power where it is needed, or reinforce the power of utilities like monopolistic APS?
