Solar technology isn’t a particularly new development, but it has been becoming increasingly popular as a primary source of energy over the last several decades. This is especially true in Arizona, where constant sunlight makes solar power an ideal solution to help cut down reliance on fossil fuels. Solar is one of the cleanest forms of energy you’ll find, and it’s getting more affordable every single year. There are some who believe it will soon be cheaper than coal and natural gas energy. All this means that there are few, if any, reasons not to embrace it.
Here’s a quick overview of what you should know about solar as a primary form of alternative energy in Scottsdale, AZ.
Solar energy has been becoming more popular since 2006
There had already been reasons enough for people to start making a shift toward greater reliance on solar power, but those reasons became even stronger in 2006 with the implementation of the Renewable Energy Standard and Tariff. That standard required utilities to get at least 15 percent of their power from renewable sources (such as solar or wind) by 2025 and 30 percent from renewable “distributed” sources, like solar panels that would be installed on rooftops. This was especially big for Arizona, where solar energy was already being touted as the way of the future.
Arizona has become the solar hub of the United States
Now, there are more than 3,300 megawatts of solar installed in Arizona, meaning about 500,000 homes are powered by the sun. Over the last five years, the price of solar power in Arizona has also declined by 55 percent, prompting even more people to invest in solar power in their homes and businesses. Currently about 6 percent of all electricity used in the state comes from solar power, and that is expected to increase rapidly. There are also more than 7,000 jobs in Arizona in the solar power industry, good for seventh-most in the country.
The city leading the way in solar power is Yuma. It is the sunniest city in the country, getting more than 90 percent of the annual average of sunshine possible for the city. Phoenix and Tucson rank just behind at 85 percent. All three of these cities have made large-scale investments in solar power, which makes sense, considering just how much solar energy there is available for them to harness and use for their own devices.
With all this in mind, Arizona is positioned to be a national (and international) leader in grid modernization and solar initiatives. There has been a proposal to overhaul energy standards that would put Arizona as the country’s leader in renewable energy. This proposal includes an 80 percent clean energy target by 2050.
This is just some information to give you a sense of just how important solar energy already is to the state of Arizona, and how much room there is for it to continue to grow and proliferate across the country. For more information about the benefits of alternative energy in Scottsdale, AZ, contact the team at Aneva Solar today.