Reminder- Arizona tax credit information is available here: Arizona Tax Incentives
Federal investment tax information, including end of year rules, is available here: Federal Tax Incentives
Welcome to the Arizona Solar Center
This is a non-commercial website for solar and renewable energy information in Arizona.
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New Discovery Could Improve Organic Solar Cell Performance
While there is a growing market for organic solar cells – they contain materials that are cheaper, more abundant, and more environmentally friendly than those used in typical solar panels – they also tend to be less efficient in converting sunlight to electricity than conventional solar cells. Now, scientists who are members of the Center for Computational Study of Excited-State Phenomena in Energy Materials (C2SEPEM) a new… Read More -
Know Your Rights
Arizona law protects individual homeowners’ private property rights to solar access by dissolving any local covenant, restriction or condition attached to a property deed that restricts the use of solar energy. This law sustained a legal challenge in 2000. A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of homeowners in a lawsuit filed by their homeowners association seeking to force the homeowners to remove… Read More -
Home Battery Systems
Rooftop solar panels are common in Arizona thanks to abundant sunshine, but to get even more use from the technology, homeowners are beginning to pair them with large home batteries. Batteries allow homeowners to store their surplus electricity, rather than send it to the grid in exchange for credit from their electric company. Read More -
Solar Hot Water
There are two types of solar water heating systems: active, which have circulating pumps and controls, and passive, which don't. The typical solar water heater is comprised of solar collectors and a well-insulated storage tank. The solar collector is a network of pipes that gathers the sun's energy, transforms its radiation into heat, and then transfers that heat to either water or a heat-transfer fluid.… Read More -
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
(Information provided by DSIRE - Last reviewed 02/19/2009) Incentive Type: Personal Tax Credit State: Federal Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies: Solar Water Heat, Photovoltaics, Wind, Fuel Cells, Geothermal Heat Pumps, Other Solar Electric Technologies Applicable Sectors: Residential Amount: 30% Maximum Incentive: Solar-electric systems placed in service before 2009: $2,000Solar-electric systems placed in service after 2008: no maximumSolar water heaters placed in service before 2009: $2,000Solar water heaters placed… Read More -
Solar Building Design in Arizona
The idea of using the sun to meet the energy needs in our buildings has been with us since the time of the Greeks, with some of the design manifestations even evident in the prehistoric structures of Arizona and the Southwest. There is a great historic tradition for Arizona buildings that utilize our most abundant resource, and the current increases in The idea of using… Read More -
How Not to- Battery Connections
Photo shows the situation after a battery discharge test at 300 amps was terminated on a 1530 AH IBE battery string when one post melted. During the discharge test all cell voltages are logged. The sum of the cell voltages was 2.73 volts lower than the 48-volt string voltage. This is an average of 118 mv per inter-cell connection, 5-10 mv is the normal range… Read More
Blogs
- Solar Center Blog
Brian Czech
17 February 2019
What’s Really Green and What’s Really New
Ask Americans what the Green New Deal is all about, and you’ll get two basic answers. Most often you’ll hear, “It’s about moving to renewable energy in order to fight climate change.” You’ll also hear, from a camp further right, “It’s all about socialism!”
Lucy Mason
06 January 2018
Wishing you a wonderful and Happy New Year!
The year 2017 has gone by quickly, and AriSEIA has accomplished a full and active agenda to further solar and renewable energy in Arizona.
Featured (Note- Articles below shift Left-Right)
Some things to pay attention to in Arizona
Seeking Arizona agriculture producers who are using small solar systems in their operations in Arizona
Dr. Bonnie Eberhardt Bobb, Executive Director of the Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, is looking for agriculture producers who are using small solar systems in their operations in Arizona who might be willing to help her with preparing ACC testimony, discussion with representatives, writing letters of support, signing petitions, etc. to further their goal of increased renewables in agriculture. She would love to hear from ag producers and listen to their stories of how solar has benefited their operations. Thank you so much. Please contact drbonnie2002@yahoo.com if you can assist.
Arizona Corporation Commission
Renewable Energy Standard and Transition Plan (REST) Stakeholder Meeting and Workshop March 10-11, 2020 Hearing Room One Commissioner Sandra D. Kennedy has submitted the Kennedy Renewable Energy Standard and Transition Plan II (KREST II), that calls for improving the existing REST to: 100 percent Carbon Emissions Free Standard by 2045.
1200 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007
50 percent Renewable Energy Standard by 2028 and
This is a good report that provides a conceptual framework for the Statewide Transportation Electrification Plan for Arizona, including planned or proposed near-term utility actions to support the growth of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the state. The report is part of a filing on the Arizona Corporation Commission website: Arizona Statewide Transportation Electrification Plan
Arizona Statewide Transportation Electrification Plan
Utility Information
During March 2019, SRP wrapped up their public pricing process at a final rate setting board hearing. The board approved new rates for SRP customers, which will translate to a $1 to $4 decrease in monthly bills.
The board also voted to lower rates for solar customers, approve three new options for solar customers, and adopt a new battery/storage incentive.
Arizona Public Service Co. has announced that it plans to produce all of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2050 and will get 45% of its power from renewable sources like solar and wind by the end of this decade. This is a good improvement from the point of view of sustainable energy. There are still a lot of details to be worked out such as the role that distributed energy will take. Will APS APS improve its policies in regard to residential and small commercial systems. There are several good news articles and the APS press releases on this announcement: APS:APS sets course for 100 percent clean energy future Arizona Republic: APS will eliminate carbon emissions by 2050 and close coal plant ahead of schedule, CEO says The Washington Post: Arizona’s biggest utility says it will get all of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2050
APS sets course for 100 percent clean energy future
FRAUD ALERT PHOENIX – Attorney General Mark Brnovich issued a warning today about deceptive flyers appearing on residences in the Phoenix area that promote a solar energy effort. The flyers claim to be a “Public Notice” from the “Maricopa County Solar Initiative,” and claim that “Arizona and the Federal Government ITC (26 USC § 25D) are paying to have solar energy systems installed on qualified homes in this neighborhood.” The flyers tell consumers to call to schedule their “site audits.” Consumers who call are subjected to a solar sales pitch by a private company. In addition, the Maricopa County Solar Initiative’s website improperly uses a modified version of the county seal, but the “Solar Initiative” is linked to a private business and is not associated with the county. The “Solar Initiative” is also not registered to do business in Arizona. Similar flyers previously appeared in Clark County, Nevada, this summer, and law enforcement officials there have warned that the “Clark County Solar Initiative” notices are deceptive. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich has aggressively prosecuted businesses masquerading as government agencies, including obtaining consent judgments against “Mandatory Poster Agency” and “Compliance Filings Service,” resulting in full restitution for Arizonans totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you believe you are a victim of consumer fraud, you can file a complaint online at the Arizona Attorney General’s website. You can also contact the Consumer Information and Complaints Unit in Phoenix at (602) 542-5763, in Tucson at (520) 628-6648, and outside of the metro areas at (800) 352-8431. Also covered at: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2018/11/26/deceptive-flyers-circulate-arizona-promoting-solar-energy-effort/2115597002/
Attorney General Warns About Deceptive “Solar Initiative” Flyers
A picture of the “Public Notice” is below:
A picture of the improperly modified county seal used by the “Solar Initiative” is below:
Interesting Technology Updates;
Battery Storage Costs Drop Dramatically, Making Way to a New Era. A recent Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) report continues to confirm that clean electrification through batteries is advancing at impressive rates. Very interesting report: Breakthrough Batteries- Powering the Era of Clean Electrification
Breakthrough Batteries Powering the Era of Clean Electrification
Events
General News
Caution- News leads open in new windows. Warning- These news links are automatically generated by others such as Google News and are not reviewed by the Arizona Solar Center, Inc. We are not responsible for link content.
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AriSEIA asks APS to include solar industry in 100% clean energy commitment - Solar Power World
AriSEIA asks APS to include solar industry in 100% clean energy commitment - Solar Power World
AriSEIA asks APS to include solar industry in 100% clean energy commitment Solar Power World
Created on: Jan 24, 2020 | 18:30 P
Jan 24, 2020 | 18:30 P -
Arizona’s biggest utility says it will get all of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2050 - The Washington Post
Arizona’s biggest utility says it will get all of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2050 - The Washington Post
Arizona’s biggest utility says it will get all of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2050 The Washington Post
Created on: Jan 22, 2020 | 13:30 P
Jan 22, 2020 | 13:30 P -
Arizona’s Solar Panel & Energy - The Hear UP
Arizona’s Solar Panel & Energy - The Hear UP
Arizona’s Solar Panel & Energy The Hear UP
Created on: Jan 11, 2020 | 08:00 P
Jan 11, 2020 | 08:00 P
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The District 40 mall and FESCO Energy enter into an exclusive agreement to develop a microgrid using resilient and sustainable energy systems
The District 40 mall and FESCO Energy enter into an exclusive agreement to develop a microgrid using resilient and sustainable energy systems
FREDERICK, Md.: FESCO Energy (FESCO®) and District 40 (formally Frederick Towne Center Mall located on the Golden Mile) have entered into an exclusive agreement to develop a microgrid enabled resilient, renewable, sustainable
Created on: Jan 23, 2020 | 14:19 P
Jan 23, 2020 | 14:19 P -
SunStreet Energy Group Demonstrates High-Performance Residential Solar At Lennar's Cortona Community During NAHB's Green Home Tour At IBS
SunStreet Energy Group Demonstrates High-Performance Residential Solar At Lennar's Cortona Community During NAHB's Green Home Tour At IBS
LAS VEGAS: SunStreet Energy Group, the only solar power company designed for homebuilders by a homebuilder, announced today plans to team up with National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) to demonstrate high-performance
Created on: Jan 22, 2020 | 20:48 P
Jan 22, 2020 | 20:48 P -
GEM Energy to start construction of Penta Career Center solar array in Spring 2020
GEM Energy to start construction of Penta Career Center solar array in Spring 2020
PERRYSBURG, Ohio: Construction begins this spring on a $2 million solar array that will provide nearly 60 percent of the electricity needs for Penta Career Center, a career technical high school serving 1,400 students
Created on: Jan 22, 2020 | 20:45 P
Jan 22, 2020 | 20:45 P
Top Galleries
Interesting Videos
Opinion: The tipping point for renewable energy is nearly here
Renewable power is taking off around the world and fast approaching a tipping point in its development. Consider these recent developments:
- Recent solar-power capacity auctions have come in at record low levels, underscoring how quickly the costs of renewable energy are falling: $0.053/kwh in India, $0.035/kwh in Mexico, $0.024/kwh in Abu Dhabi, $0.029/kwh in Chile, and $0.039/kwh in the United States.
- The fastest-growing job category in the U.S. these days is that of wind-turbine service engineer with median pay around $51,050 a year.
- And in January, China said it would shut 85 coal plants and instead invest $350 billion in renewable sources of energy.
Full article: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-tipping-point-for-renewable-energy-is-nearly-here-2017-02-15
RMI-Financing Community Scale Solar
Community-scale solar has attracted particular interest in the rapidly growing renewables market across the United States. Whether driven by interest from distribution utilities and community groups, or via policies like virtual net metering enacted in individual states, the sector holds untapped potential for offering competitive distributed electricity generation to a broader array of customers than are currently being served. Still, many lenders and tax equity investors have difficulty understanding both the opportunities and the challenges this market presents, and some developers active in this sector have been slow to adequately address some of the concerns of potential financial partners. This dynamic has proven to be a barrier to financing community-scale solar projects, which, in turn, has inhibited broader consumer access to renewable energy. In this report, Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI’s) Shine community-scale solar program and Sustainable Finance practice area describe how established solar-financing models can be easily adapted to the community-scale solar market, and discuss key risks and mitigants, as a framework for financiers and project developers to use in order to rapidly grow this market.
Read the full report at http://blog.rmi.org/Content/Files/Financing_Community_Scale_Solar.pdf
Older Featured Articles
Interesting articles or past news:
Featured (older)
The White House Silences the DOE Solar Energy Team on Twitter
SunShot has been shut out.
Asocial media blackout has struck at another U.S. government department. On Thursday, it emerged that an internal email to the Department of Energy’s SunShot solar program is telling employees to not post anything to Twitter or Facebook about work “until further notice.” The note, sent to the 50 staff members working on the project, relayed an order given by Steven Chalk, deputy assistant secretary for renewable energy.
The email, published by ThinkProgress, reads:
I want to share that we are PROHIBITED from any social media post (from personal or business handles) regarding your work, attendance at any meeting, etc until further notice, per Steve Chalk, acting EE-1.
See full article at: https://www.inverse.com/article/27020-sunshot-solar-energy-twitter-silenced
About
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Welcome to the Arizona Solar Center
This is your source for solar and renewable energy information in Arizona. Explore various technologies, including photovoltaics, solar water heating, solar architecture, solar cooking and wind power. Keep up to date on the latest industry news. Follow relevant lectures, expositions and tours. Whether you are a homeowner looking to become more energy efficient, a student learning the science behind the technologies or an industry professional, you will find valuable information here. -
About The Arizona Solar Center
Arizona Solar Center Mission- The mission of the Arizona Solar Center is to enhance the utilization of renewable energy, educate Arizona's residents on solar technology developments, support commerce and industry in the development of solar and other sustainable technologies and coordinate these efforts throughout the state of Arizona. About the Arizona Solar Center- The Arizona Solar Center (AzSC) provides a broad-based understanding of solar energy, especially as it pertains to Arizona. Registered… Read More
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