Robert "Bud" Annan, a former Department of Energy official who cut his teeth helping build the nation's nuclear Navy under Admiral Hyman Rickover, just installed a two-kilowatt system on his house in the upscale Terravita subdivision of north Scottsdale.
After the APS rebate and state tax credit, Annan says he invested about $5,000 for the system. He estimates he's saving $50 a month in power costs, which will give him a 10-year payback on his investment.
Benny Kee
Robert Annan says solar technology is the best way to meet urban electricity demand.
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Annan says residential solar systems are the best way for utilities to boost electrical production in urban areas because they don't add to regional air pollution, don't require large generating facilities and don't need ugly transmission lines.
"The major contribution solar can make is shaving peak demand so that APS doesn't have to go out and buy power on the spot market and build a bunch of power plants," Annan says.
Demand for the APS residential and small business solar-rebate program is high. But APS is setting aside only $1 million for the program this year from consumer surcharge funds, enough money to build about 100 rooftop systems.
Peter Johnston, APS' manager for technology development, claims the rooftop solar program is inefficient. The power company, he says, wants to focus on large solar arrays, where panels are attached to tracking systems that follow the sun. But even with the solar-array system, APS has a goal of installing a tiny 50 megawatts of solar by 2007 -- and Johnson says the utility won't even reach that!
Meanwhile, Salt River Project, which isn't regulated by the Corporation Commission, is the utility that's most behind the curve.
It has no residential solar program and has only installed a smattering of solar units around the state. In addition, it has purchased a small amount of renewable energy from out of state.
What I'm blathering about here is, all this has got to change if solar power is ever to make a dent in Arizona's electricity production.
In a state that has 300 days of sunshine a year, it's absurd for state government to allow the Big Three to drag their feet on solar-energy production. Put your money where your mouth is for a change, Governor Napolitano, and push for measures that would put the utilities' feet to the fire!
We can't let this golden opportunity to become the world leader in solar energy slip past because our utilities want to line their shareholders' pockets at the expense of Arizona's citizens and the environment.
E-mail john.dougherty@newtimes.com, or call 602-229-8445.
