Democrat Sandra Kennedy said Thursday there would be no need for voters to impose a renewable energy mandate if state utility regulators would do their job.

The state Court of Appeals last May upheld a trial judge's ruling that state Department of Revenue was wrong when it determined in 2013 the leased rooftop solar systems should be subject to property tax as electricity generating systems.

States that generate large amounts of renewable energy, such as California with its abundant supply of solar power, have to “sell” power to neighboring states at negative prices, meaning California is effectively paying Arizona to take energy from their systems.

Rooftop solar companies that lease panels to customers shouldn’t be charged property taxes for the solar arrays, an Arizona appellate court ruled Thursday.

Arizona saw a 6 percent increase in solar jobs in 2016, bouncing back from a sharp drop the year before but still trailing well behind the national average growth of 25 percent in solar jobs.

The state's largest electric utility may have outmaneuvered a utility regulator in the fight over its records about its campaign spending.

More than $7 million poured into this year’s Arizona Corporation Commission, largely from two continually sparring foes whose businesses rely heavily on the regulatory body.

The Arizona Corporation Commission decided today that net metering for new solar users will eventually go away, but existing rooftop solar customers can keep their rates for 20 years.

A state senator asked the Arizona Attorney General’s to investigate potential noncompliance by rooftop solar companies with two laws aimed at protecting consumers.

Next week, the Arizona Corporation Commission will finally determine the path forward for rooftop solar energy in the state.