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AriSEIA, Has published several articles or letters that are of interest to our Arizona solar community:

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 Interesting Arizona Solar Stories 

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Interesting Technology Updates -Click on a title below

  • - A radical idea to get a high-renewable electric grid

    This is an interesting approach to optaining very high penetration of renewables such as photovoltaics and wind.  At present most large installations operate under Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) wherein the economics are based on a sell all output at predetermined prices. This contrasts with standalone systems wherein the system size Read More
  • - Breakthrough Batteries Powering the Era of Clean Electrification

    - Breakthrough Batteries Powering the Era of Clean Electrification Battery Storage Costs Drop Dramatically, Making Way to a New Era. A recent Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) report continues to confirm that clean electrification through batteries is advancing at impressive rates. Very interesting report: Breakthrough Batteries- Powering the Era of Clean Electrification Read More
  • - Interesting Technology

    An assortment of links to interesting information   Semiconductor Nanowires Could Double the Efficiency of Silicon Solar Cells A p/n semiconductor junction is not the only way of converting sunshine into useful electrical energy.  Light consists of a flow of photons of various energy levels (colors).  See this article-Solar Cells.  Nanowires Read More
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General News

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Interesting Videos

2014 Solar and Sustainable Buildings Tours - Fall

Living with the Sun - Arizona Style 2014
Tours of Solar and Sustainable Buildings

AZGov-SolarProclamation2014-tn

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has again issued a proclamation designating October as Solar and Renewable Energy Month, recognizing the American Solar Energy Society's annual National Solar Tour of solar installations and energy sustainable buildings. As part of the National Tour, events in Arizona include a lecture and local tours on different weekends in different parts of the state. The tours provide an opportunity for the public to see solar and green building examples in person.

Tours in Arizona can be experienced on the following days. We invite you to join us at one of the Arizona locations:

 


 

The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) National Solar Tour is the largest grassroots solar event in the nation, involving about 150,000 participants and 5,000 solar-energy sites nationwide.

It offers the opportunity to informally tour innovative green homes and buildings, and see how solar energy can be used efficiently. The tour hopes to inspire people across the nation to make sustainable energy choices that reduce costs, support energy independence, protect against power outages, and reduce carbon emissions.

This is a chance to see affordable and practical technologies, in your neighborhood, that benefit the environment and are part of the solution to our nation's energy problems. If you are considering solar energy, please consider visiting a business or resident participating in the National Solar Tour to learn more.

Now in its 19th year, this event is coordinated nationally by the nonprofit ASES in collaboration with dozens of outstanding partner organizations. The National Solar Tour will be held October 4-5 this year as with tour locations througout the United States. 

Solar Site Tours

 

From time to time, usually in conjunction with the American Solar Energy Association National Solar Tour, road tours of Arizona homes and other sites are arranged.  Past tours have included:

ASES Sponsored Solar Home Tours

Previous Arizona tours:

 

 

Utility Solar issues in Arizona

  

Updated December 2016

Electric utilities in Arizona are involved in solar energy in many ways.  Utilities own or contract to purchase energy from large solar installations, both photovoltaic (PV) and thermal and distribute this energy to their customers.  The utilities are also involved with their customers when customer utility interactive photovoltaic systems are connected to the utility grid in order to safely operate their systems and account to the energy transfers.  Utilities call these smaller systems Distributed Generation (DG).  Some utilities have rebate programs or other incentives to encourage solar hot water systems because these systems reduce the peak demands placed on the utilities.

The economies of scale favor large utility-scale solar systems such as illustrated on the left above, these systems can produce energy for about 60% of the cost of rooftop systems, but the energy must be transported to the areas where it is needed, requiring transmission lines, transformers, and such.  About 10% of the energy is lost due to these transmission losses.

The utilities have to manage all the various electrical generation sources to balance the supply of energy with the customer use of energy, while keeping the voltage and frequency of the power within accepted limits.  Since both solar generation and customer needs vary, this has become more difficult as the percentage of solar generated energy is increasing.  Some of the generation resources, such as nuclear power plants, need to operate at constant power levels, while other sources such as natural gas turbines are designed to be variable.  Photovoltaic power systems can be shut off without damage if necessary to help keep energy balanced within the utility system.

When a connected PV system, residence, business, school, etc., is generating more energy than can be used locally, the extra energy is fed back into the utility grid where it is used by other utility customers.  The amount of solar generated energy thus fed back is metered by the utility.

The utilities account for this energy several methods.  Most popular for the customers is Net Metering wherein the utility acts like a free battery, allowing a customer to later use an equivalent amount of energy for free.  Another option is Net Billing wherein the utility basically purchases all the excess energy at a wholesale rate and sells all energy purchased by the customer at retail rates.  The rates are set/approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) (SRP is an exception since it is not an investor owned utility).  Generally, at present net metering is limited to systems that have an output that is 125% of less than the historic power demand of the customer.

The relationship between solar customers and the utilities is changing, see other articles on our website and watch the Blog for current news. On December 20, 2016 the ACC voted to allow utilities to abolish net metering and replacing it with a buy-back rate that will be set by rate hearings.  There is a provision for grandfathering existing solar customers already on net metering. DECISION on: INVESTIGATION OF VALUE AND COST OF DISTRIBUTED GENERATION.  The Determinations, starting on page 169, are not very conducive to residential and commercial future photovoltaic systems.

The US electric grid continued to transform in 2016. No new coal plants were added, and solar became the top new source of generating capacity.

About

  • Welcome to the Arizona Solar Center

     This is your source for solar and renewable energy information in Arizona. Explore various technologies, including photovoltaics, solar water heating, solar architecture, solar cooking and wind power. Keep up to date on the latest industry news. Follow relevant lectures, expositions and tours. Whether you are a homeowner looking to become more energy efficient, a student learning the science behind the technologies or an industry professional, you will find valuable information here.
  • About The Arizona Solar Center

    About The Arizona Solar Center Arizona Solar Center Mission- The mission of the Arizona Solar Center is to enhance the utilization of renewable energy, educate Arizona's residents on solar technology developments, support commerce and industry in the development of solar and other sustainable technologies and coordinate these efforts throughout the state of Arizona. About the Arizona Solar Center- The Arizona Solar Center (AzSC) provides a broad-based understanding of solar energy, especially as it pertains to Arizona. Registered Read More
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