In a news conference, Erik Magnuson, program associate for Environment Arizona said with Arizona’s rate of growth, homes using solar energy could quickly become part of the landscape.

213,000 people are estimated to be moving to Arizona annually, Magnuson said, “the state is in a great position to install solar-powered water heaters.”
In addition to solar-powered water heaters, the group is also advocating for more homes and businesses to install solar-energy systems. They don’t just heat water, they also convert sunlight into electricity.

A single panel can power five light bulbs, according to Tom Alston of American Solar Electric.

A large solar-energy system can generate more power to a home than what is needed. While a home might draw electricity off the grid on high usage days, when the air conditioner is on, it pumps the excess back into the grid when solar panels generate more electricity than is needed. The meter is running backwards, and the consumer would receive a credit from the utility, Alston said.

A report released in conjunction with the news conference said a small system retailing for more than $18,000 could generate a third of an average home’s electricity consumption. According to surveys done by the Arizona Commerce Department, the actual cost to homeowners is half of the amount given the rebates and tax breaks awarded for installing solar-energy systems.

The cost of electricity from the smaller system equals approximately what the large utilities charge. The report also adds that solar power is becoming more competitive with “conventional energy generation.”

The Corporation Commission has voted to require that by 2025 utilities must generate 15 percent of their electricity from renewable resources.