BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. officials announced approval Tuesday of two large-scale solar projects in California and moved to open up public lands in other Western states to potential solar power development, as part of the Biden administration’s effort to counter climate change by shifting from fossil fuels.

See the Associated Press article.

The Department of Energy on November 5, 2021 announced a target of the equivalent of five million homes powered by community solar energy by 2025.

The target would save $1 billion and contribute to administration goals of fully renewable electricity by 2035, according to the department.

“Community solar is one of the most powerful tools we have to provide affordable solar energy to all American households, regardless of whether they own a home or have a roof suitable for solar panels,” Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm said in a statement. “Achieving these ambitious targets will lead to meaningful energy cost savings, create jobs in these communities, and make our clean energy transition more equitable.”

Read more at THE HILL

On OCTOBER 28, 2021 President Biden Announced the Build Back Better Framework. This will have a major impact on Renewable Energy and sustainability. Some of the major components are:

• The largest effort to combat climate change in American history. The framework will cut greenhouse gas pollution by well over one gigaton in 2030, reduce consumer energy costs, give our kids cleaner air and water, create hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs, and advance environmental justice by investing in a 21st century clean energy economy – from buildings, transportation, industry, electricity, and agriculture to climate smart practices across our lands and waters.

• Ensure clean energy technology – from wind turbine blades to solar panels to electric cars – will be built in the United States with American made steel and other materials, creating hundreds of thousands of good jobs here at home. The Build Back Better legislation will target incentives to grow domestic supply chains in solar, wind, and other critical industries in communities on the frontlines of the energy transition. In addition, the framework will boost the competitiveness of existing industries, like steel, cement, and aluminum, through grants, loans, tax credits, and procurement to drive capital investment in the decarbonization and revitalization of American manufacturing.

• Advance environmental justice through a new Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator that will invest in projects around the country, while delivering 40% of the benefits of investment to disadvantaged communities, as part of the President’s Justice40 initiative. The framework will also fund port electrification; facilitate the deployment of cleaner transit, buses, and trucks; and support critical community capacity building, including grants to environmental justice communities. In addition, the framework will create a new Civilian Climate Corps – with over 300,000 members that look like America. This diverse new workforce will conserve our public lands, bolster community resilience, and address the changing climate, all while putting good-paying union jobs within reach for more Americans.

The full document is available on the Whitehouse,gov website

By Ivan Penn | New York Times

The Biden administration on Wednesday released a plan to produce almost half of the nation’s electricity from the sun by 2050 as part of its effort to combat climate change.

Solar energy provided less than 4 percent of the country’s electricity last year, and the administration’s target of 45 percent would represent a huge leap and will most likely take a fundamental reshaping of the energy industry. In a new report, the Energy Department said the country needed to double the amount of solar energy installed every year over the next four years compared with last year. And then it will need to double annual installations again by 2030.

More Information https://roselawgroupreporter.com/2021/09/biden-releases-ambitious-plan-for-solar-energy/

The City of Phoenix has continued dialog with the solar industry and other stakeholders to enact some solar code changes that generally increase the area of residential one- and two- family dwelling roof areas that can be utilized for photovoltaic arrays.  This has been done by reducing the required pathways for fire access.  The major changes are:

Pathways to ridge. Not fewer than two 36 inch- wide (914 mm) pathways on separate roof planes, from lowest roof edge to ridge, shall be provided on all buildings. Not fewer than one pathway shall be provided on the street or driveway side of the roof. For each roof plane with a photovoltaic array, not fewer than one 36-inch- wide (914 mm) pathway from lowest roof edge to ridge shall be provided on the same roof plane as the photovoltaic array, on an adjacent roof plane or straddling the same and adjacent roof planes.

Setbacks at ridge. For photovoltaic arrays occupying 33 percent or less of the plan view total roof area, a setback of not less than 18 inches (457 mm) wide is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge. For photovoltaic arrays occupying more than 33 percent of the plan view total roof area, a setback of not less than 36 inches (457 mm) wide is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge.

Alternative setbacks at ridge. Where an automatic sprinkler system is installed within the dwelling in accordance with Section 903.3.1.3, setbacks at the ridge shall conform to one of the following:

    1. For photovoltaic arrays occupying 66 percent or less of the plan view total roof area, a setback of not less than 18 inches (457 mm) wide is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge.

    2.For photovoltaic arrays occupying more than 66 percent of the plan view total roof area, a setback of not less than 36 inches (914 mm) wide is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge.

For more information see: Phoenix Fire Code Changes 3-8-2021

The City of Phoenix is now (January 2020) requiring a special permit from the Fire Department for most solar systems and batteries.  The fees and required plans varies with size and content.  See this link for an application and details:  https://www.phoenix.gov/firesite/Documents/Solar Photovoltaic OTC Bundle Rev 01-2020.pdf

This is in addition to a building permit from the Planning & Development Department and must be separately obtained at a different address (150 South 12th Street) or on-line via the above link. Also noted is that residential PV permits are no longer over the counter and as of March 2020 are estimated to take 29 working days to process.  Separate inspections are required.

The code requirements are contained in Phoenix-Chapter 12 BESS R-3-1.pdf

Also note: All Phoenix solar building permits are now electronic submittal only. Contact the Electronic Plan Review (EPR) Triage Team at 602-534-5933 or epr.support@phoenix.gov. For more information on EPR, visit us at https://www.phoenix.gov/pdd/onlineservices/electronic-plan-review.

Related: PV Rapid Shutdown Signage- Phoenix

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December 7, 2021

With the recent upgrades and adjustments to the Tucson Electric Power (TEP) LAT3 13.8 kilovolt circuit in Marana, TEP is pleased to announce that all of the circuits on its local grid now have the capacity to support new residential solar projects sized at 20 kW AC and less.

This means homeowners who wish to install rooftop solar anywhere in the TEP service territory should be able to clear “Screen A” of Arizona’s Distributed Generation Interconnection Rules (DGIRs), allowing them to install systems that export excess energy to the TEP local grid.

As you may be aware, some TEP circuits were previously saturated with DG capacity exceeding levels referenced in the DGIR screening tests. Those tests compare the aggregate DG capacity on each circuit with that circuit’s peak load and minimum daytime load over the previous 12 months.

Since then, TEP has completed extensive hosting capacity studies and has made system improvements to expand capacity on circuits where new interconnection requests previously triggered additional review. All of the TEP circuits now have capacity for the addition of new residential exporting DG systems.

The TEP Energy Programs team will contact customers whose rooftop solar projects were suspended due to circuit saturation to inform them that these restrictions have been addressed and to invite them to submit their application to TEP.

TEP is committed to taking a proactive approach to surveying its system and identifying solutions to be able to accommodate additional growth.

If you have any questions, email TEP at renewables@tep.com.

6/30/20220

Commissioners approved Tucson Electric Power Company’s (TEP) revised Distributed Generation Interconnection Manual. The creation of these manuals was required following the Commission passing rules dealing with the interconnection of distributed generation facilities. TEP’s manual lays out technical and safety requirements that customers within its service territory must follow when interconnecting a distributed generation system, such as residential and commercial solar projects, to the existing grid. The manual is meant to create a standardization process for customers.

TEP’s manual was initially approved at the Commission’s February 2022 Open Meeting, however, following the passage of AriSEIA proposed amendments at that meeting, a revision to the manual was necessary. After several meetings between AriSEIA, TEP, and ACC Staff, the manual was revised to include information regarding Meter Socket Adapters (MSA), detailing their use for generating facilities. The manual was updated to better preserve the Super-Fast Track and Fast Track designations, allowing for faster review tracks for qualified projects. The revised manual also clarifies study cost fees customers are responsible for prior to beginning any study. TEP’s revised manual does not prematurely require inverters to comply with the IEEE sections that are not yet developed or for which equipment is not yet capable of compliance. Further, the manual modified its requirements around transfer trip infrastructure so as not to be overly burdensome, thereby reducing costs for large installations. Finally, the revised manual includes an additional section that provides a list of scenarios meriting an extension of time.
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All documents related to this agenda item can be found in the Corporation Commission’s online docket at https://edocket.azcc.gov and entering docket number E-01933A-20-0116.

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) plans to provide more than 70 percent of its power from wind and solar resources as part of a cleaner energy portfolio that will reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2035.

TEP has filed its integrated resource plan (IRP) with the Arizona Corporation Commission, outlining plans for 2.5GW of new solar and wind over the next 15 years and 1.4GW of energy storage capacity as it progressively shutters its coal power stations.

See the TEP Press Release for more information: https://www.tep.com/news/tep-plans-clean-energy-expansion-carbon-reduction/

TEP has upgraded their distribution system and as of December 7, 2021 the following no longer applies.  Remaining posted for historical reasons.

TEP customers intending to install a new PV system now need to check that their system can be safely installed and connected to TEP’s grid.

TEP now has service areas that are saturated with PV systems where new PV systems are subject to additional review and requirements under Arizona’s Distributed Generation Interconnection Rules. TEP has prepared DG Saturation Maps showing these areas.

This further described at https://www.tep.com/get-started-with-solar/

This requirement stems from the recent Distributed Generation Interconnection Rules issued by the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Further information is available at:Interconnection of Distributed Generation Facilities

Update: See the related article on tucson.com: New state rules limit rooftop solar systems in some Tucson neighborhoods