Following the ongoing and sometimes bitter confrontation between solar advocates and utilities, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has approved a proposal from Tucson Electric Power (TEP) to boost investments in renewable energy and deploy two 10 MW (5 MWh) energy storage pilot projects. However, the issue of this utility owning the renewables it distributes remains undecided, pending further
Arizona solar advocates and lawmakers have negotiated a compromise, leading them to drop competing solar ballot initiatives to amend the state’s constitution. According UtilityDIVE and PV-Tech, this cease-fire allows both sides to reach a compromise which boosts solar while addressing the concerns of utilities. A ceasefire between SolarCity and Arizona Public Service Company has the two sides
As reported by Havasu News, UniSource Energy Services is seeking approval from the Arizona Corporation Commission ACC) to put “mandatory demand charges” on residential electric bills. Public hearings are scheduled March 31st in the Kingman and Lake Havasu City areas. Interested parties may find more information on Facebook for Kingman and Lake Havasu. Kingman – 1:00
Phoenix, Arizona and Blacksburg, Virginia top this year’s list of the top green cities according to the US Conference of Mayors (USCM). The Mayors’ Climate Protection Awards honor cities for innovative programs that increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An independent panel of judges selected the winners from a pool of applicants. The awards
US “clean gas” wells in operation (Irekia-Eusko Jaurlaritza in blogs.lse.ac.uk) Turns out that just about everyone (including President Obama) has been hugely underestimating the methane pollution levels of so-called “clean gas.” The booming American economy now seems to come at a greater cost than we originally thought when we found out that natural gas produces
The residential solar energy war just continues to heat up more and more in the (already quite sunny and hot) state of Arizona. The State Department of Revenue there has done an about-face on PV tax policy, and is now saying that only solar panels owned outright are exempt from tax, leased panels are no
One of the most majestic endangered species in the American Southwest, the jaguar, may get a little bit of breathing room, in the form of habitat protection across 764,207 acres (1194 square miles) of southern Arizona and New Mexico. Thanks to the work of the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), the US Fish and Wildlife
The global solar power industry has experienced remarkable growth since the 2009 recession. The growth rate each year between 2007 to 2011 was around 70%. At the end of 2011, the total GW of solar panels installed worldwide was 62, divided between residential roofs, commercial buildings, and utility plants. With increasing pressure for the
Anyone who has looked into the matter honestly knows that global warming and climate change severely threaten young generations. As reported a few times previously, some members of that young generation are pushing for action now, through legal action. One such story is of an 11-year old Navajo named Jaime Lynn Butler. On May 4,
Jon Huntsman has hardly gotten any attention in the course of the freak show we can call the GOP primaries. However, that has changed a bit since yesterday, when he received a notable percentage of the New Hampshire primary votes (17%). We’ve actually written about Huntsman a number of times, as he’s the only candidate
A new multi-year study has determined that reduced winter snowfall in mountainous regions as a result of climate change is causing cascading shifts in plant life and animal communities by allowing elk to stay through winter and consume the plants that would normally be home to a variety of bird life. The study was published
The Painted Desert in northern Arizona, US, lies between the Grand Canyon and northwest of the Petrified Forest National Park, and is captured here in two beautiful images taken by the Thematic Mapper on the Landsat 5 satellite.
This almost apocalyptic-style time-lapse video of the dust storm that swept over Phoenix on July 5 is truly awe inspiring.
Following up on my Saturday coverage of the Arizona wildfires, which at that time were approaching New Mexico, had burned down 30 homes, and had caused 10,000 to evacuate, here’s more on the fires….
Wildfires sparked in part by exceptionally severe drought in Arizona (and plenty of other U.S. states) as well as extreme heat are out of control, have already taken out 31 homes, 24 outbuildings, and a truck. 30,000 people have also been forced to evacuate so far.
The American Lung Association (ALA) recently released State of the Air 2011, its annual report on air pollution and which cities have got the worst. In total, 18.5 million Americans live in regions with unhealthy levels of year-round particle pollution.
According to the ALA, 13,000 Americans a year are killed from particle pollution from power plants alone.
And for people in “at-risk” groups, like people who already have asthma, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes, the hazards of such pollution are even greater.
Three proposed uranium mines near Grand Canyon have been issued with air and water pollution permits by the Arizona Department for Environmental Quality.
However the permits appear to be dangerously unenforceable and contain no remediation measures should the permitted pollution be exceeded.
(Crossposted from Red Green And Blue) The Tea Partiers said “If ballots don’t work, bullets will.” Today, Arizona Democrat Gabrielle Giffords was cut down by a gunman at a “Congress On Your Corner” event at a Tuscon Safeway. Federal Judge John Roll was killed in the same incident, along with a 9-year-old girl. Giffords is
An Arizona State University press release described the words “enormous uncertainty” as being greatly applicable to the current condition of Phoenix’s climate and water supply. Reservoirs have dropped to their lowest ever levels, drought has continuously plagued the state, and the forecasts suggest that the temperatures are only going to continue to rise. However professors
Enjoy 10 beautiful photos of the desert. A lot of people think that the desert is only sand and heat. If that was true, the desert would definitely be a very boring place. The thing is to see how powerful and beautiful deserts actually are. They have survived huge periods of time and deserve a
A new study finds that there is a 50-50 chance all of the Colorado River reservoirs — in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona — will run completely dry by the year 2057 if currents trends and practices continue.
An Arizona man who was caught by police in August 2008 after tying his horse to the back of his truck will face charges for animal cruelty in federal court this Tuesday. [social_buttons] Gorden Allen Bates tied a horse to the back of his truck and then proceeded to stop the vehicle and beat the
Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva has introduced legislation to withdraw approximately one million acres near the Grand Canyon from mineral exploration under the 1872 Mining Act. In a news release, the Congressman was quoted as saying: “I was pleased to introduce this legislation which will forever protect the magnificence of the Grand Canyon and the people
I was going through the headlines, just waiting for something to drag me out of my lethargy, and it happened. The New York Times posted a headline reading “Uranium Exploration Near Grand Canyon”, and that excited my first bit of exercise for the day; the hair stood up on the back of my neck. What
It’s been going on since 1922, seven western states staking their claims on Colorado River Water. For years, a sometimes divisive battle has raged as Colorado, Utah, California, Arizona, Wyoming, Nevada and New Mexico all said they weren’t getting their share of the precious liquid. It came to an end in Las Vegas, when representatives
