We’ve shared a lot of info on Prop 127 on our social media and in a August blog post, but we wanted to directly address some of the recent questions we’ve heard.
We have quite an opportunity on November 6th to transform our energy use here in Arizona! Proposition 127 would require 50% of energy sold by most electric utilities in Arizona to be renewable by 2030!
We strongly support Proposition 127. Ideally, it would not be necessary to put such a measure in the AZ Constitution, but due to the influence of lots of utility money at the Arizona Corporation Commission, it’s our best path to a clean and cost-effective energy future. A 50% renewables will be a good step for a state like Arizona that has a lot of great renewable resources, and the timeframe is reasonable for implementation. It would also create about 16,000 new jobs!
You’ve probably seen many ads claiming the initiative this will cost consumers more. Paid by large corporations such as Arizona Public Service (APS) and Tucson Electric Power (TEP), these ads ignore solid studies that show Arizona consumers will actually save a lot of money if we use more renewables. These investor-owned utilities are looking to make as much money as they can for shareholders, and protect their century-old business model. In particular, APS has waged a years-long campaign to capture their regulators and preserve their profits.
In reality, solar and wind aren’t just great for clean air, they are also least-cost resources for the long term. You can look at Colorado for a good example of a utility (Xcel Energy) that fought solar for many years, but now understands how renewables are both what their customers want and what’s most economical. In a recent interview, Jonathan Adelman (an Xcel VP) said about their move to more renewables: “I think it fundamentally comes down to economics. The secondary driver is customer expectations. Lastly, policy both at a state and federal level.”
For monopoly utilities, part of their challenge comes from how they make money. Unlike most businesses, their profits don’t just depend on how well they provide services that their customers want. They make a guaranteed rate of return based on their “rate base,” which are all the physical assets they own. This provides strange incentives. For example, TEP does plan to have a lot more utility-scale renewables by 2032, but they don’t want rooftop solar that they can’t make profit on. TEP estimates that rooftop solar will only grow from 4% to 5% of their energy mix by 2032, compared to a large increase in utility-scale renewables, which they plan to increase to 26% from the current level of 7% over the same time period!
We’d urge you to support this initiative (it’s on the back of your ballot!), and let friends and family know how solar has already provided benefit to you and your community. We also encourage you to carefully consider your choices for the two open Arizona Corporation Commission seats, as the ACC has the final word on utility rates.
We still have just a few Yes on 127 yards signs available at our office as of this post. If you’re interested in putting one up, contact us to check if we’ve still have any available!
Check out the following links for more information on the initiative:
Yes on 127: Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona (check out the FAQ and Get the Facts)
For the Next Generation, Vote YES on Prop 127
Pinnacle West and APS: Buying Politicians, Killing Solar in Sunny Arizona
AZ’s Prop. 127 Would Create Thousands of Clean Energy Jobs
Solar groups endorse Arizona’s renewable energy Proposition 127
Arizonans to decide on renewable energy as Prop 127 on November ballot
TEP to join opposition to Arizona clean-energy initiative
Arizona’s Prop. 127 undermined by change in ballot description, supporters say
Victoria Steele: Voting yes on Prop 127 will help us build state’s clean-energy future
Keeping the balance: How flexible nuclear operation can help add more wind and solar to the grid
