Clean energy news: July 2024
Two New Batteries on SRP’s Grid Will Advance Reliable and Sustainable Power for Customers
Salt River Project and Plus Power LLC celebrated two new grid-charged battery storage systems, Sierra Estrella Energy Storage and Superstition Energy Storage. Together, these facilities will add 340 megawatts (MW) / 1,360 megawatt-hours (MWh) of additional battery storage capacity to SRP’s system – enough to power 76,000 residential homes for a four-hour period. The batteries will absorb excess energy when customer demand is lower and store it for use during times of peak demand. Read more >>
Does Arizona have enough water? Phoenix-area cities are spending big to make sure it does
Brett Fleck does not have an easy job. He manages water for a city in the desert. He has to keep taps flowing while facing a complicated equation: Peoria is growing – attracting big business and thousands of new residents each year – but its main source of water is shrinking. Read more >>
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Additional $127 Million from the Investing in America Agenda to Clean Up Legacy Pollution Across Five States
The Department of the Interior today awarded $126.7 million through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, New York and Ohio to address legacy pollution.
Orphaned oil and gas wells are polluting backyards, recreation areas, and community spaces across the country. Many of these wells pose serious health and safety threats to the air we breathe and water we drink by contaminating surface and groundwater, releasing toxic air pollutants, and leaking methane – a “super pollutant” that is a significant cause of climate change and many times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Plugging orphaned wells supports broader Biden-Harris administration efforts under the U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan. Read more >>
Billionaire Bill Gates Plans Smart City in Arizona Desert
Forty miles west of Phoenix lies an almost entirely undeveloped area of land. That’s where Microsoft billionaire and founder Bill Gates, in partnership with his development company, is planning to build a smart city.
If all goes as planned, the 234 square mile city would be called Belmont, and it would be a master-planned community with every major technological innovation possible. They plan to power the city with renewable energy like solar and incorporate tech like self-driving vehicles as part of the infrastructure. Read more >>
Arizona farmers turn to solar panels to shade crops, save water and generate power
For 31 straight days last summer, temperatures in Phoenix hit or topped 110 degrees, the longest such streak ever. That searing Arizona heat dehydrates crops and evaporates water the state needs to conserve.
By using solar panels, farmers can simultaneously protect their plants, save water and lower their energy bills – and some are doing just that with help from federal programs designed to encourage this sustainable method of growing. Read more >>
City of Phoenix Applauds ADEQ’s Advanced Water Purification Initiative
The City of Phoenix supports the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) draft rules for the Advanced Water Purification (AWP) Program. These rules lay the groundwork for innovative projects that convert treated wastewater into safe, reliable drinking water, significantly bolstering Arizona’s water resources. Read more >>
$55.2 million to boost clean energy in rural Arizona with new battery systems
$55.2 million is headed to Sierra Southwest Cooperative Services Inc. to finance three new battery energy storage systems. The funding will bring clean energy to rural Arizonans in cities like Sahuarita, lowering energy bills and creating more jobs for farmers, ranchers, and producers. Read more >>
Businesses are driving the expansion of solar energy
Arizona has one of the strongest economies in the country because we are a pro-business state. But what does that mean in practical terms?
It means that Arizona officials — state and local — have a strong track record of listening to the needs of businesses. Then, we make sure those needs are met, whether it’s low taxes, commonsense regulations, skilled workers or a diverse, secure and affordable energy mix. Read more >>
SRP seeks to add battery storage to coal-fired plant site
The Salt River Project is exploring the option to add a cutting edge energy storage system to the Coronado Generating Station site in St. Johns for power generated by the growing number of solar and wind power plants in the region. Read more >>
APS uses new technology on power poles to help prevent wildfires
Arizona Public Service has introduced new fire prevention technology this year, some of which you can find directly on their powerlines. APS serves 1.4 million households and businesses with 38,000 miles of power lines.
With so much territory to cover, safety is a top priority. So, the goal of this technology is to track weather conditions that could fuel a fire before or after it sparks. Read more >>
Tucson receives $11M for bus stop shelters, trees and more
Mayor Regina Romero said the projects include installing dozens of shelters at bus stops, adding trees for shade, replacing aging equipment, and increasing accessibility with larger print, Braille and audible information. Read more >>
Phoenix is expected to get even hotter, but is it doomed? This researcher and journalist say no
t’s Phoenix in the summer. And it’s hot. That is no surprise in the Valley of the Sun. But, things are changing. It’s getting hotter — and drier. More people are dying every year from the heat. We are running out of water. We can’t build anymore. The urban heat island is stopping nights from cooling down like they used to. Planes can’t even take off.
Read more >>
Partnership Brings New Battery Storage System to Help Meet Growing Energy Demand
Salt River Project and Aypa Power have entered into an agreement to provide 250 megawatts (MW) / 1,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of new energy storage to the Arizona grid.
The Signal Butte energy storage project will be a 250 MW, four-hour battery energy storage system located in the Elliot Road Technology Corridor in Mesa, AZ. The project will utilize lithium-ion technology and will have the capacity to power over 50,000 average-sized residential homes over a four-hour period. The project is scheduled to be operational by mid-year 2026. Read more >>
Arizona Utilities Offer Technical Assistance Grants to Support Economic Development and Training in Coal Plant Communities
Four organizations serving Arizona communities impacted by the transition away from coal-fired power plants will receive a total of $125,000 in economic development grants from the Utilities’ Grant Funding Program. The program, which is jointly funded by Arizona Public Service (APS), Salt River Project (SRP) and Tucson Electric Power (TEP), provides funding for critical grant writing technical assistance and matching fund support to help develop new, sustainable economic strategies for residents and other stakeholders in impacted communities. Read more >>
EDP Renewables, Salt River Project, and Meta Unveil Brittlebush Solar Park in Arizona
EDP Renewables North America, a leading renewable energy developer and a top five renewable energy owner and operator in the United States, Salt River Project and Meta unveiled the 200 megawatt (MW) Brittlebush Solar Park located near the town of Coolidge, AZ. Read more >>