5 surprising facts about renewable energy growth in Arizona
Arizona produces 2.8 times as much energy from the sun and the wind as it did a decade ago. Find more clean energy facts here.
According to Renewables on the Rise 2024, the eighth edition of our annual report on the state of clean energy in America, Arizona now generates 177% more solar power and 270% more wind power than it did in 2014. This increase means that Arizona can power an additional 815,587 households each year with clean energy.
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Here are five interesting facts about clean energy’s growth in Arizona:
1. Arizona generated more solar energy in 2023 alone than all solar generation before 2015 combined.
Arizona produced 11,779 GWh of solar energy last year, up from 4,243 GWh in 2014. This was enough to bring us to 5th place in the national solar rankings.
2. Arizona had no reported Battery storage capacity before 2017. Now we’re 3rd in the country.
As of 2023, Arizona has installed 0.94 gigawatts of battery storage capacity. This ranks Arizona 3rd in the country.
3. There are 84,611 electric vehicles registered in Arizona in 2023.
The number of EVs has grown 3,861% since 2014. Arizona is ranked 8th in the country in terms of EV growth in the past 10 years.
4. Arizona added 845 EV charging ports in 2023.
This was a 31% increase from 2022 and a 356% increase from 2014. Arizona now ranks 16th in the country in EV charging ports installed.
5. Arizona is generating 2.7 times more wind energy than we did in 2014.
Though wind energy was down across the board in 2023, we’ve still seen significant growth since 2014. Arizona is ranked 27th in the country in wind generation.
When we replace fossil fuels with wind turbines and solar panels, and curb wasteful uses of energy, we build a world where the planet and people can thrive.Johanna Neumann
Senior Director, Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy, Environment America Research & Policy Center
Our clean energy growth over the past 10 years has proven the viability and significance of these renewable energy sources. By taking advantage of the opportunities to continue these trends, Arizona can become a leader in clean energy and transitioning away from fossil fuels.
What can state and local leaders do to keep renewable energy growing?
State and local governments can support renewable energy by:
- setting renewable energy goals with clear benchmarks
- leveraging federal resources to reach renewable energy goals.
- ensuring that utility policies fairly compensate the owners of renewable energy technologies
- support policies for permitting and interconnection that make adopting renewable energy technologies easier.
- expand efficiency programs, including updating energy codes for buildings and adopting the latest appliance efficiency standards.
You can help renewable energy continue to grow in Arizona by taking action below.
Topics
Authors
Johanna Neumann
Senior Director, Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy, Environment America
Johanna directs strategy and staff for Environment America's energy campaigns at the local, state and national level. In her prior positions, she led the campaign to ban smoking in all Maryland workplaces, helped stop the construction of a new nuclear reactor on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and helped build the support necessary to pass the EmPOWER Maryland Act, which set a goal of reducing the state’s per capita electricity use by 15 percent. She also currently serves on the board of Community Action Works. Johanna lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family, where she enjoys growing dahlias, biking and the occasional game of goaltimate.
Evan Jones
Former Go Solar, Associate, Environment America Research & Policy Center
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