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Future of independent solar energy at stake in Corporation Commission race
The long-term viability of independently produced solar power could hinge on who voters pick to serve as state utility regulators.
Rooftop solar is a prime example of free market development
I want to respond to APS CEO Don Brandt, and what he wrote in a recent opinion piece in another publication last week entitled “APS serves Arizona. Solar guys? Not so much.”
Net metering and the Arizona Corporation Commission
I believe many of the Arizona Corporation Commission’s recent decisions to this date surrounding net metering have done more harm than good to our local economy, to businesses like mine, and especially to low-income and middle-class families throughout the state (who would benefit the most from rooftop solar).
Judge slows APS as it speeds toward another solar increase
I have been involved with utilities and regulatory work for almost 40 years. During that time I have seldom seen an administrative law judge understand and articulate the issues at hand with the clarity and knowledge Judge Teena Jibilian did recently.
APS’s measured approach to rooftop solar would benefit all electricity customers
Jeff Guldner Jeff Guldner I appreciate Pat Quinn’s service as director of the Residential Utility Consumer’s Office (RUCO), but I was surprised by his recent description of what happened when the Arizona Corporation Commission first addressed the cost shifting resulting from rooftop solar and net metering in 2013. I was also disappointed by his characterization of the current grid acce[...]
All in: Despite feud with utilities, solar companies push on
Brandon Cheshire is all in. He founded his own solar company, SunHarvest Solar, in 2009, and he has seen it grow steadily since then. He’s also willing to work with or around solar fees to bring in more customers.
Science Center’s ‘Solarville’ proves knowledge is power
Two young boys grip their handlebars as they peddle a furious pace of 20 mph, breathlessly arguing who will win the race. One furrows his brow as his older brother stands behind him and yells, “Go faster!”
Talk of an extinction level event is exaggerated
Talk of a “death spiral” for utilities or speculation about an existential threat from rooftop solar is off base, APS insists. John Hatfield, the utility’s VP of communications, told our reporter last week that the narrative about a battle pitting the utilities against rooftop solar is “compelling but false.”
Flare Up: Debate rages over proposed regulations for solar industry
Since 2009, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office has received more than 500 complaints about rooftop solar, ranging from “Do Not Call” list violations to a failure to disclose the total cost to a buyer.
Advocates say consumer bill is an attempt to hamper solar industry
An Arizona Senate bill intended to protect consumers from potentially misleading solar leases unanimously passed through a committee Monday.
Energy regulators greenlight APS rooftop solar plan
Arizona Public Service will soon start installing solar panels on residential homes after the state’s energy regulators paved the way for it to enter the residential solar market.
Solar is here, it’s expanding and its popularity is growing
Fifteen years ago flat-screen televisions were a rare luxury item, and the era of cell phones was just beginning. Video chats happened mostly in Star Trek reruns, and few homes had broadband Internet service. Just as all these technological advances have become commonplace, solar energy, a rather exotic power source at the start of the millennium, is growing faster than you might think.
