Solar Arizona:
A solar energy tour of Arizona
The vision of a solar Arizona
– a place where significant
amounts of clean energy are
generated from the power of
the sun – may be closer than
you think. In this CD,
compiled by the Arizona
Department of Commerce
Energy Office, you’ll learn of
ongoing efforts to maximize
the utilization of renewable
energy across the state.
Solar Arizona:
October is Solar and
Renewable Energy
Month
Governor Jane D. Hull has
declared October 2002 as
Solar and Renewable Energy
Month. The Arizona
Department of Commerce
Energy Office is working
with the solar community to
stage events throughout the
state.
Solar Arizona:
Oct 4-6 Green Building Expo – Phoenix
Oct 5 STAR Center Tour – Tempe
Oct 5 Flagstaff Solar Tour
Oct 5 Prescott Solar Tour
Oct 5 Women for Sustainable
Technologies Conference. -- Tucson
Oct 9-12 EEBA Conference – Phoenix
Oct 10-12 Solar Electric Training -Tucson
Oct 12 Sedona Solar Tour
Oct 19 Valley of the Sun Solar Tour
Oct 26 Solar Seminar -- Douglas
Oct 26 –27 Hot Topics and Cool
Solutions Conference -- Tucson
Oct 26-27 Tucson Solar Home Tour
Oct 30 Solar dedication Prescott Airport.
Solar Arizona
Calex Homes, in a joint
venture with SRP, has
introduced both Solar Water
Pre-Heating and Photovoltaic
Energy (Electricity) in new
home construction in three
east valley subdivisions. The
system at the right is a 1.4 kW
photovoltaic system on a
house under construction.
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Solar Arizona
The completed house at
Johnson Ranch Lakeview
Gardens (Calex Homes) has
both a photovoltaic and solar
water heating system. Sandia
Labs is monitoring the solar
water heating system to
obtain vital information on
energy efficiencies and
benefits of this state-of-the-art
solar water heating system.
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Solar Arizona
SRP has installed the latest in
Photovoltaic Panels,
including PV shingles (center
house) that match the color of
the roof. Preliminary
estimates indicate these
systems will produce one (1)
KW of electricity, which
should be sufficient to supply
20-60% of the required
power, depending on the
season.
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Solar Arizona
This home (bottom) in
Johnson Ranch Estates in the
East Valley has four 300-watt
panels that cover
approximately 104 square feet
of the roof surface. The array
on the adjacent building (top)
consists of 12 85-watt panels
that covers 108 square feet of
rooftop.
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Solar Arizona
Calex Homes has teamed
with SRP to offer solar
options on homes in The
Estates at Johnson Ranch and
Lakeview Gardens at Johnson
Gardens. This model home in
Johnson Ranch Estates has a
1.2 kW photovoltaic array on
the rooftop.
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Solar Arizona
As these homes
demonstrate, the solar
industry has made great
strides in the past decade to
integrate solar systems into
the roofs of homes. This
new generation of solar
systems have quietly found
their way onto rooftops
throughout Arizona,
offering an aesthetically
pleasing alternative to the
systems of the 1980s.
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Solar Arizona
"What we're literally
doing here is building a
small power plant one
house at a time," said
John Wesley Miller,
developer/homebuilder of
the 99 high-tech solar
homes in Tucson's
historic Armory Park
neighborhood. Homes
include solar water
heating and solar
electricity.
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Solar Arizona
A 2.4 kw PV system being
installed on a roof in a
Scottsdale subdivision.
The system is one of a
growing number of gridconnected homes in urban
areas that are taking
advantage of utility rebates
and tax credits to finance
systems with favorable
payback terms.
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Solar Arizona
The 2.4 kW PV system on
this Scottsdale house is
eligible for a $4,800 utility
company rebate and a
$1,000 state tax credit. The
Arizona solar tax credit is
25% of the system cost up
to a maximum of $1,000.
The tax credit (ARS 431083) has been in existence
since 1995..
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Solar Arizona
This 1 kW PV system in
Scottsdale consists of 20 50watt solar panels. The house
is grid-connected, thus the
homeowners can sell solar
generated electricity back to
the utility company if the
house does not have a
demand for the electricity at
the time it is produced.
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Solar Arizona
This Prescott house does
not stand out from the
others in the
neighborhood, however it
is different. The house
collects rainwater for all
household purposes. It
utilizes solar electricity
and solar water heating. It
is built with certified
sustainably harvested and
local 'leftover' wood and
utilizes cast earth and
strawbale construction.
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Solar Arizona
Designed by Prescott College
student Brad Tito, the house
uses a fraction of the energy
the previous house on the
same site consumed. That
house was about one-quarter
the size of the new one but
consumed more than four
times the energy. This past
January the utility bills were
$22 for gas (used for cooling
and water heating) and $4.23
for electricity.
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Solar Arizona
Solar isn’t exactly a new
phenomenon, Arizonans
began building solar homes
(passive and active) in the
1970s in response to the
Energy Crisis. This home,
in Flagstaff, is just one of
many built throughout the
state in the late 1970s. The
passive solar features
provides more than 55% of
the home’s heating needs.
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Solar Arizona
Another example of the
alternative building methods
employed during the 70s and
80s, this Tempe solar home
is 68 percent earth covered
or earth bermed. Built in
1981 this home’s features
include a rock bed for
heating and cooling, an
attached greenhouse and a
solar domestic water heating
system.
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Solar Arizona
This 1850 square foot
residence in Prescott is made
of Poured Earth and features
solar for all electrical needs
and hot water. The home
also uses passive solar
power and its 16" thick
thermal walls for both
heating and cooling. Backup
heat is provided by a radiant
floor and a high efficiency
wood stove.
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Solar Arizona
Solar energy is a great way
to heat swimming pools.
Using the existing pool
pump, water is diverted to
the solar system. It then
passes through the
collectors, where the water
is heated by the sun’s radiant
energy. Next, the water is
returned to the pool to repeat
the cycle until the pool has
been warmed.
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Solar Arizona
In many cases, solar rooftop
systems are barely
noticeable. Planned
communities and
Homeowner Associations,
once a barrier to growth in
the solar industry, have
dropped their objections to
rooftop systems. ARS 33439 protects the rights of
homeowners to install and
use solar systems on their
property.
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Solar Arizona
Solar energy has long been
used in areas of the state
that are not serviced by the
electric utility company.
This off-grid solar house on
the Navajo Reservation was
constructed by the local
coal company when the
original housing structure
had to be removed due to
mining activity.
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Solar Arizona
At the Backus Ranch in
central Arizona, this PV
system, installed in 1980,
provides the only source of
power for a family ranch
house. In areas throughout
Arizona that are beyond the
utility lines, PV systems are
often much cheaper for the
rancher than paying for a
utility line extension.
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Solar Arizona
This 900-watt solar electric
system near Sedona runs a 5horsepower water pump.
The pump draws water from
860 feet deep. PV water
pumping systems are
common throughout Arizona
in areas where utility power
is unavailable.
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Solar Arizona
Civano, a planned energyefficient community in
Tucson, includes a
neighborhood center equipped
with a 6-kW PV system.
Civano home’s are 30-60%
more energy efficient than the
typical home. The initial
planning stages of the Civano
Project and the community
center were funded by the
Arizona Energy Office.
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Solar Arizona
To meet the reduced energy
goals set for the community of
Civano, the builders offer
various energy efficient and
renewable energy options
Among the options are
photovoltaic grid-tied systems,
solar hot water heaters, and
thermal mass design and
masonry construction.
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Solar Arizona
This photo offers a bird’seye view of the Civano
development. Various
renewable energy options
are available to homebuyers
including passive solar
design, solar water heating
and photovoltaic systems
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Solar Arizona
A cool tower and shaded
entrance patio highlight
front of building at the
Global Solar Manufacturing
facility in the community of
Civano. Global Solar is a
manufacturer of thin-film
PV products and a major
employer in the community.
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Solar Arizona
The TEP Sunshare program
pays a rebate to customers
who install solar electric
systems on their homes. To
date, 24 Tucson area
homeowners have taken
advantage of the utility
company’s program and have
received rebates ranging
from $2,000 to $10,000.
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Solar Arizona
City of Tucson Southeast
Service Center: The City’s
main objectives in
undertaking this project
were to design and build a
commercial office building
using commercially
available energy efficient
products and to educate
staff, consultants and
contractors in application
methodology.
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Solar Arizona
Glendale West Area Water
Reclamation Facility:
Solar panels generate hot
water and electricity for the
administration building. The
panels also facilitate passive
solar heat gain in the winter.
The PV system generates over
12 kW per hour of electricity.
The panels provide shade for
walkways and south-facing
glass.
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Solar Arizona
The Safford Middle School
PV installation was
completed in the fall of 2000.
The 4 kW system was a joint
venture of many solar
organizations in the state and
was funded through a MSR
grant from US DOE. Safford
is one of 14 schools in the
state that have gone solar.
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Solar Arizona
Solar Pond Aerator
Somerton Municipal
Wastewater Treatment
Plant: Somerton estimates
a 100% savings on energy
costs to operate the 40hp
Blower system due to the
blowers being completely
shut off. The estimated
cost of electricity saved is
$1,080 per month ($12,960
per yr).
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Solar Arizona
A 25 kW PV systems sits
overlooking a landfill in
Central Arizona. The
system was developed by
APS has part of a federal
grant through the Arizona
Energy Office to displace
diesel generators. The
system at the Graywolf
Lanfill made immediate
economic sense for
operators.
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Solar Arizona
This pole mounted
photovoltaic system powers
a light at a trail entrance in
the Tonto National Forest.
Utility grid power was
several miles from the site
and line extension had to be
underground, meaning that
solar electricity was the
least-cost alternative on a
first-cost basis.
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Solar Arizona
Top -- Wing walls and
overhangs protect insulated
window walls yet provide day
lighting deep into the Sierra
Vista Library. Middle -- From
the west, massive wing walls
protect windows from direct
sun and create shade spaces
outdoors in the park. Bottom -At the north energy clear
insulated roof panels provide
day lighting for the northern
portions of the library.
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Solar Arizona
The design of the Sierra Vista
Library -- with south and
southwest-facing glass
dictated the use of low-e
thermal pane glass and
window overhangs with fins.
With its use of natural
daylighting and other
features, the annual energy
use for the new building is
estimated to be one-half of
the national design standard.
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Solar Arizona
Installed in 1998 this system
preheats 50,000 gallons of
water daily for use by more
than 1500 federal inmates
and staff at a prison north of
Phoenix. The hot water is
used in the laundry, kitchen,
and shower areas. Data
indicate that the system saves
about $6,000 in electricity
costs per month.
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Solar Arizona
Parabolic troughs are used to
heat water for the Federal
Correctional Institution north
of Phoenix. During normal
use, a tracking device keeps
the troughs at the correct angle
to capture the most solar
energy. The system was
installed as part of an Energy
Service Performance Contract
– where a third party covers
the cost of the system and is
repaid from the cost savings.
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Solar Arizona
This large solar thermal
system was installed at a
new barracks facility at Fort
Huachuca Army Base in
Sierra Vista, Arizona. This
building-integrated system
was ground-mounted for
ease in maintenance.
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Solar Arizona
Gould Electronics of
Chandler, has had its
parabolic-trough collector
system since 1982. An
example of the use of oil for
heat transfer, the system
provides process water for
copper foil production.
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Solar Arizona
US Department of Energy
helped design the solar water
heating system at the
Maricopa County Outdoor
Education Center. The
system serves as an
educational tool while
providing real energy, cost,
and emissions savings.
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Solar Arizona
This 2 kW PV system
provides an uninterruptible
power system for the US
Department of Interior’s
Bureau of Indian Affairs at
the Havasupai School in
Supai Village. The village is
located at the bottom of the
Grand Canyon.
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Solar Arizona
This parking ramada is
located at the Yuma Proving
Ground in southwestern
Arizona. As can be seen in
the photo, the structure is an
excellent source of shade in
the hot desert climate. What
can’t be seen is that the PV
panels generate clean power
to charge the electric carts
used on site.
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Solar Arizona
On the Utah/Arizona border,
Dangling Rope Marina at
Lake Powell
was one of the first PV
installations in the National
Park Service to replace
electricity produced by
diesel generators.
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Solar Arizona
Two communications towers
at a remote Arizona location
are powered by a 25kW
hybrid PV/diesel system. The
Carol Springs Mountain
system went on-line in Aug
1995 replacing a diesel
generator that ran 24/7. The
PV system powers towers for
AT&T, US West, and a TV
station in Tempe.
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Solar Arizona
TEP operates one of the
world’s largest PV power
stations -- a 1.4 MW groundmounted system in
northeastern Arizona. The
plant will be expanded to 2.4
MW of generating capacity
by the end of 2002. The
plant began generating
electricity one month after
construction started in June
2001. The entire system was
on-line in five months.
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Solar Arizona
TEP also has a 200 kW solar
power plant at its DeMoss
Petrie Station in Tucson.
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Solar Arizona
This SRP Solar Power Plant
consists 588 modules covering
approximately 24,418 square
feet. The array DC power is
converted to 208 Volts AC and
interconnected to the SRP
distribution
system by a 12.47 kV isolation
transformer. The ac power
rating is 200 kW.
The PV system is located at
SRP's Agua Fria Generating
Station.
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Solar Arizona
The largest system under test
at APS’s Solar Test and
Research (STAR) Center is a
high-performance
“concentrating” PV power
generator. Although not
suitable for small projects,
concentrator systems have
very good potential for largescale power generation.
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Solar Arizona
The concentrating collector
at the STAR Center
produces 20 kW of
electricity, or about enough
to power five Phoenix-area
homes. Systems like these
may someday provide power
for entire communities.
Presently, a system similar
to this is under construction
near the Prescott Airport in
the northern part of the state.
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Solar Arizona
APS is evaluating the
performance of the latest in
dish/Stirling solar power
systems at its STAR Center
near Phoenix. Capable of
producing 25 kW of
electricity, the system uses
mirrors to focus sunlight onto
a thermal receiver, which
runs a Stirling heat engine,
which drives an electric
generator.
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Solar Arizona
Once perfected and
manufactured on a large
scale, the dish/Stirling
engine has the potential to
become one of the cheapest
solar energy technologies
available.
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Solar Arizona
APS and Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University
jointly constructed a 190
kW solar power plant
north of Prescott.
Opened in March 2001,
the solar power facility
produces enough energy
to power 25 to 40 homes.
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Solar Arizona
The 125-kW APS solar
power plant located in
Gilbert consists of 10 solar
arrays, which will track the
sun from east to west on a
single axis. The plant,
which was dedicated in
April 2001, feeds directly
into the APS electric grid.
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Solar Arizona
In 2001, Glendale
partnered with APS to build
the world’s first commercial
application of highconcentration PV arrays at
the Glendale Municipal
Airport. This technology
tracks the sun’s movement
and employs special
lenses to magnify the sun’s
rays 250 times onto each
solar cell.
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Solar Arizona
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum
rests at the base of the Picket
Post Mountains of central
Arizona, east of Superior.
Established in 1920, the
arboretum/botanical garden,
cultivates desert plants from
all over the world. The
Arboretum is part of APS’
Project Sol – and is outfitted
with a 2 kW solar array on its
visitor center.
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Solar Arizona
Challenger Learning Center is
an innovative educational
center exploring the wonders
of outer space. Located
northwest of Phoenix, the
Center offers space
exploration programs for
students and the public. The
Center’s roof also supports a
2 kW solar array that provides
additional educational
experiences for students.
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Solar Arizona
The Desert Outdoor Center
at Lake Pleasant is also part
of the APS Project Sol.
Located north of Phoenix,
the Center interprets the
region's flora, fauna and
geology through a variety of
programs open to the
public. A 2 kW solar array
provides power to the
Center.
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Solar Arizona
Lowell Observatory is the
perfect location for a solar
array. Well known for both
its astronomical research,
Lowell Observatory was
established by Percival
Lowell in 1894. From the
observatory on Mars Hill,
scientists discovered the
planet Pluto and established
first evidence of an
expanding universe.
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Solar Arizona
Named for Arizona
writer/historian Sharlot Hall
and housed in the Arizona
territorial Governor's
Mansion in Prescott, a log
home built in 1864, the
museum displays artifacts
from Arizona's pioneer
era. The museum’s visitor
center has a roof mounted 2
kW solar array.
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Solar Arizona
APS and the City of
Scottsdale have partnered
to build 186 kW of solar
generation at the City’s
facilities. Projects include
solar covered parking, on a
library and water tanks.
The City also purchases
solar energy under the APS
Solar Partner Program.
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Solar Arizona
APS and the City of
Scottsdale partnered on
a solar power plant at the
Scottsdale Water
Campus. The facility
feeds 300 kW of solar
energy – enough to
provide for the electrical
needs of up to 100
homes – to the electric
grid.
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Solar Arizona
Located on the grounds
of the APS Solar Test and
Research Center (STAR
Center) in Tempe, this
solar plant generates 182
kW of solar energy for
use by all APS
customers.
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The following organizations contributed photos for this CD:
Al Nichols Engineering
Arizona Energy Office
Arizona Solar Center
Arizona Public Service
Az. Solar Energy Ind. Association
American Solar
Calex Homes
City of Glendale
City of Tucson
John Miller Homes
Living Systems Architecture
Dr. Martin J. Pasqualetti
Prescott College
Salt River Project
US DOE -- NREL
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