In an effort to reduce disparities between the haves and have-nots when it comes to solar energy, Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­tility regulators approved a measure that could increase solar energy projects in low-income multifamily housing. 

members unanimously approved a proposal by Arizona Public Service (APS) to allow for “master metering” for solar power at low-income multi-family housing. Under previous rules, utilities and developers were limited in their ability to use master metering, which involves measuring the electric usage of multiple tenants with the same meter. 

The goal is to increase solar in Arizona and open up more options for neighborhoods where renewable energy is scarce, said Chairwoman Lea Márquez Peterson.

“I was proud to put this on the agenda for the commission’s discussion and vote. It’s the next step for solar energy in Arizona,” Márquez Peterson said.

APS and commissioners want to spur more solar power in multi-unit housing within the utility’s service territory that primarily leases to lower-income or very low-income residents as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Public Housing Program. 

Regulators hope to encourage solar in underserved neighborhoods 

The new measure shifts the financial incentive to conserve energy from tenants to property owners and property managers. While property owners would foot the bill for solar installation, in the long run it could benefit both owners and tenants with lower energy costs, commissioners said. Meanwhile, tenants would still be in full control of their own thermostats. 

Ultimately, it could allow landlords to provide low-income housing to more residents at a lower cost, Márquez Peterson said.

Solar typically limited to white, higher-income households

Low-income residents have largely been left out of the increase in solar energy, whether rooftop or community solar projects, research shows. Solar subscribers in the U.S. typically have been higher-income households or are businesses, universities and government agencies.

Less than half of U.S. community solar projects have any participation from low-income households. Of projects that do include lower-earning families, only about 5 percent involve a sizable share, or more than 10 percent, according to a November 2018 survey by the nonprofit .   

On average, Black- and Hispanic-majority census tracts have significantly fewer rooftop solar projects than white-majority or no-majority census tracts, according to an analysis published in . 

States and utilities taking steps to reduce inequities

To address the inequities, states and utilities have been instituting programs to push for more solar policies to help lower- and middle-income households. 

At least a dozen states and Washington, D.C. have developed financial incentives and pilot programs to make it easier for low-income participants to access shared solar, according to the , a national nonprofit coalition of public agencies and organizations working together to advance clean energy. 

Arizona now ranked fourth in nation for solar 

Meanwhile, Arizona is ranked fourth in the nation for solar powered electricity generation, according to a report by the. Arizona’s big utilities — like APS, Salt River Project (SRP) and Tucson Electric Power — are behind the ranking as they invest in renewable energy infrastructure and programs including rooftop solar, solar plants and community solar projects. 

SRP doubling its solar commitment 

In that vein, announced this week that it plans to more than double its 2025 utility-scale solar commitment to add a total of 2,025 megawatts (MW) of new utility-scale solar energy to its power system by the end of fiscal year 2025, driven in part by dedicated customer demand for new renewables. 

This is more than 1,000 MW beyond SRP’s original 2025 commitment of 1,000 MW, announced in November 2018. As part of this 1,025 MW solar increase, 450 MW is enabled by an SRP commercial customer to meet its renewable energy commitments. 

“Doubling solar purchases over the next four years supports our shared goals with our customers to be as proactive as possible to reduce our collective carbon footprint while maintaining our reliability and affordability,” said Mike Hummel, SRP’s CEO and general manager.

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Two of Arizona’s biggest power utilities have been giving back to the community’s most underserved members in the form of solar energy.

Arizona Public Service (APS) and Salt River Project (SRP) have each started programs to bring solar energy to the people — and charity organizations — who need it most.

As part of its Solar Communities program, APS donated enough solar panels to cover 144 spaces in the main parking lot for St. Vincent de Paul, a global nonprofit organization whose Phoenix chapter serves the Valley’s homeless population.

“The Solar Communities program enables limited- and moderate-income residential customers as well as non-residential customers such as Title 1 schools, rural governments and nonprofits to participate in clean energy while receiving a bill credit for their support,” said Tammy Kasprowicz, Solar Communities project manager

St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) applied to be a part of the Solar Communities program and met all the requirements, she said.

“St. Vincent de Paul and many other incredible organizations benefiting our community will be further supporting their communities by helping to provide renewable, clean energy to the community around them while benefiting from a bill credit that they can then apply to the resources they currently offer,” Kasprowicz said.

Energy harvested by the — which generates enough power to run 86 homes per day — significantly reduces energy costs for the charity, sending savings back to programs that help people in need, according to SVdP.

“We are so thrilled and so grateful for this project,” said Steve Zabilski, executive director of SVdP in Phoenix. “This is literally a million-dollar project for APS, and with our focus on serving economically-challenged families, we could never have afforded such an investment.”

APS is Arizona’s largest public utility, with more than 1.4 gigawatts of solar energy available to customers today. APS predicts that renewable energy sources, including solar, will grow from 12 percent to 18 percent of the company’s overall energy mix over the next 15 years.

has also made serving the community a primary mission. The Tempe-based utility’s “Solar for Nonprofits” program helps charitable organizations reduce their energy costs by providing and installing solar panel systems.

“Nonprofits serve the communities and our customers, and SRP is committed to providing programs that help our communities thrive,” said Dan Dreiling, director of customer programs at SRP.

Since 2007, the program has completed 49 solar system installations, helping nonprofits save more than $600,000 collectively while providing green, emission-free energy for their buildings, according to SRP.

Earlier this month, the company announced it has donated solar systems to three Valley nonprofits: A New Leaf, which provides shelter and resources to homeless youth, domestic abuse victims and others who are struggling; Arizona Humane Society, a no-kill that takes in abused and abandoned pets; and the Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center (AAEC), an early college high school system that partners with community colleges that offers students the chance to earn college-transferable credits while completing high school classes.

“At SRP, we believe in giving back to the community, and we do that in a number of ways through contributions and employees who volunteer in the community,” Dreiling said.

Principal Eric Stevens said he considered the solar panels to be a “great opportunity” for the school.

“Any money saved as a part of lowering our energy consumption will go into broadening and enhancing educational opportunities for our students,” he said.

SRP’s Solar for Nonprofits program is funded by SRP and its customers, who can opt-in to contribute as little as $3 a month.

“This is a great partnership with our customers who contribute to the program, and an impactful way to invest in green energy while helping nonprofit agencies direct more funds to the communities they serve,” Dreiling said. “The program supports our commitment to investing in Arizona-produced, solar energy projects that also benefit the nonprofit arena.”

According to the Arizona Humane Society, the savings from the solar installation at the organization’s Nina Mason Pullman Campus for Compassion could be used to help treat 530 orphaned, newborn kittens or 220 puppies and dogs in need of treatment for Parvovirus.

“The impact that the savings from the solar installation will have on hundreds of the Valley’s most vulnerable animals is truly lifesaving,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, president and CEO of the Arizona Humane Society. “These funds will ensure that the efforts taking place in critical medical areas such as AHS’ trauma hospital, Parvo Puppy ICU and newborn kitten nursery will go even further to save the lives of pets who are not often given a second chance in other shelters.”

A New Leaf CEO Michael Hughes said he was thrilled when he learned that SRP would be donating solar panels, calling the project “innovation with a heart.”

Dreiling said SRP plans to continue the Solar for Nonprofits program, promoting the cause to attract new customers who may be interested in participating.

As for APS, SVdP served as the inaugural nonprofit construction and installation site for the Solar Communities program, which will continue to partner with established Arizona nonprofits to provide solar-generating parking panels.

The project began in February 2019, coordinated by SVdP Senior Advisor Steve Gervais. The panels were fully installed, wired to the grid and generating solar energy by June.

“It was an honor for St. Vincent de Paul to be selected as the first site under the APS Solar Communities program for nonprofits in Arizona,” Gervais said. “By any standard, this was no small project.”

Kasprowicz said APS is committed to helping solar energy expand as a resource for Arizona.

“We are advancing Arizona’s solar leadership while providing safe, reliable and increasingly clean energy to our more than 1.2 million customers,” she said. “In addition to expanding access to solar for customers statewide, our Solar Communities program is helping to maintain solar jobs in Arizona, which benefits the state’s economy.”

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