Arizona has seen significant growth in renewable energy production over the last decade. But the state still lags behind some others when it comes to replacing fossil fuels.
A recent report from Environment America, called Renewables on the Rise, shows wind, solar and geothermal energy production in the U.S. has tripled since 2014.
“We’re powering more households with renewables than we did 10 years ago, and by a significant margin,” said Evan Jones, Go Solar associate with the organization. “When it comes to solar, every state has seen growth in the past 10 years, which is really impressive.”
The report shows Arizona now ranks fifth in the nation for solar energy production and third in the nation for battery storage capacity.
“If you consider that Arizona is the 14th most populous state, that’s pretty significant,” Jones said.
Solar generation in Arizona has nearly tripled in the last decade, and the state now produces enough solar energy to power one million homes, the report shows.
Battery storage – which is essential for ensuring power can be delivered at peak hours, even as solar production drops off overnight – has also increased significantly in Arizona. The state had 0.1 gigawatts of storage capacity in 2022 and has now increased that to 0.94 gigawatts. Only California and Texas can store more power with batteries.
While Arizona has made advances in solar power and battery storage, the report points out just 16% of electricity sold to customers in the state now comes from renewable sources. That’s the lowest percentage in the Southwest. Neighboring New Mexico delivers 63% renewable energy to its customers, while California and Nevada’s energy sales are both around 40% renewable.
The report recommends regulators in Arizona set more ambitious goals to further tap the state’s huge potential for renewable energy – especially solar power.
“There’s just in general, significant room for growth in terms of pushing out fossil fuels and making sure that renewable energy is a bigger player in terms of energy sales in Arizona,” Jones said.
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