By Jodie Newell | Pinal Central
CASA GRANDE — A panel of experts told a Pinal Partnership breakfast forum that the demand for energy, particularly solar power, is at record levels as economic and population growth continues to flourish in Pinal County.
The panel on Friday at the Radisson Hotel also discussed the economic benefits of solar farms and what was called misinformation on solar energy and where the future of research and development is headed in relation to agriculture.
The panel featured Greg Barron-Gafford, professor and director of food, energy and water resilience at the University of Arizona’s Biosphere 2; Buchanan Davis, director of local relations at Salt River Project; Jim Rounds of Rounds Consulting; and farmer Todd Cooley of Cooley Farms. They were asked a series of questions pertaining to renewable energy in Pinal County by moderator Court Rich, co-founder of Rose Law Group.
Davis said the demand for electricity needs to be met in the coming years and from SRP needs new sources “wherever we can get it.”
“We’ve got all kinds of growth that’s happening all throughout Pinal County,” he said. “Some of that growth is in SRP service territories and our other sister utilities such as APS, our electrical districts and whatnot are also growing tremendously fast. It is that growth driving the need for power. We need power from anywhere and everywhere we can get it including solar and other renewables.” He said the level of infrastructure built in 100 years now must be done in 10 years.
