By Ryan Randazzo, The Republic | azcentral.com
For years, Arizona has been a leader in solar power generation. Utilities in the state have been held to an expensive renewable energy standard, jobs have been added, and solar projects have been installed at a rapid-fire pace.
But after a period of explosive growth, the industry that Arizona helped pioneer is slowing as utility regulators grapple with how much of a premium energy customers should pay to implement solar and other renewables.
The U.S. solar market is expected to grow by one-third this year compared with 2013. But the forecast for Arizona is cloudier. For the first time in several years, no large solar plants are under construction in the state, and the number of rooftop solar installations is down year over year, particularly for businesses.
Arizona has a lower renewable energy standard than neighboring states. But in the past year, regulators, utility officials, consumers and clean energy advocates have intensely debated the additional costs associated with alternative energy.
Arizona’s renewable efforts are solar-heavy because the state does not have as much inexpensive wind or geothermal energy potential as some of its neighbors. The price for cleaner energy often is higher bills, and the costs can end up falling on people already struggling to make ends meet.
Related:
Industry leaders see a ‘second gold rush’ coming in solar
If you’d like to discuss energy issues, contact Court Rich, director of Rose Law Group’s Renewable Energy Department at crich@roselawgroup.com
