Renewables on the rise in Arizona: Solar and wind generation grew by 187% over past decade

Phoenix – Arizona ranks 5th in the nation for total solar generation and 7th for growth since 2014, according to the online Renewables on the Rise 2024 dashboard released on Wednesday by Environment Arizona Research & Policy Center. However, renewable energy only covered 16% of the state’s energy sales, which is a lower percentage than any other state in the southwest in 2023. 

This analysis comes after Arizona’s Corporation Commission started a process to repeal the modest Renewable Energy Standard and Tariff which requires utilities to generate 15% of their energy from renewable sources by 2025 and an energy-efficiency rule that requires electric and gas utilities to achieve 22% energy savings by 2020.  

“Arizona has some of the greatest potential for renewable energy in the nation, and it’s great to see the strong and steady growth in solar,” said Johanna Neumann, Senior Director of the Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy for Environment Arizona Research & Policy Center. “To build on this progress, Arizona should set ambitious clean energy standards and support investments to help the state reach its vast renewable energy potential.” 

Arizona made the national leaderboard in several clean energy categories.

• The state boasts enough solar panels to power over a million homes.
• Only two states have more battery capacity installed than Arizona. 
• Arizona ranks ninth for electric vehicle registrations with just under 85,000 registered EVs on the road at the end of 2023. 
• Efficiency is the cleanest of clean energy technology, and Arizona ranked 8th for statewide incremental lifetime energy savings in 2022, and the energy saved through implemented measures will be enough to power over a million U.S homes for a year.
•  Arizona’s wind energy infrastructure has further to go. In 2023, wind generated in Arizona was enough to power a little over 160,000 homes and wind generation ranked 27th in the nation. 

In addition to highlighting states that have made the most progress in adopting renewable energy technologies, the research also details the rapid gains achieved nationally over the past decade. According to the report, America produced more than three times as much renewable electricity from the sun and the wind in 2023 as in 2014. 

The Renewables on the Rise 2024 dashboard documents the growth of six key clean energy technologies across the United States over the past decade: solar power, wind power, battery storage, energy efficiency, electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations. 

“Millions are already reaping the benefits of Arizona’s dramatic clean energy progress,” Neumann said. “With federal tax credits turbocharging clean energy, now is the time for state leaders to lean in and transform the vision of 100% clean and renewable energy for Arizona into reality.”