June 22, 2012

Yesterday, Mayor Greg Stanton declared June 20, 2012, as SolarDay in Phoenix.  The Mayor and City Council also chose a Solar Champion from each council district and one citywide champion, to recognize their contributions in furthering solar power in the Valley.

“These honorees have made solar a priority in their organizations, and it is through their efforts that Phoenix is becoming a leader in sustainability,” said Mayor Stanton.  The Mayor was joined by Councilman Bill Gates, chairman of the Finance, Efficiency, Innovation and Sustainability Council Subcommittee, Councilman Jim Waring and Phoenix Sustainability Officer Carolyn Bristo.

The honorees, by district, are:

• District 1:  Sandra Day O’Connor High School
  The school’s first phase of its solar project has 2,724 rooftop solar panels that generate 1,224,000 kW per year.  The second phase has 720 solar panels in a shade canopy that generates 331,000 kW per year.  This second phase will be completed by October.  With both phases completed, the school will have 40 percent of its electricity generated from clean, renewable solar energy.  
• District 2: APS Distributed Energy Program
  Provides opportunities for residential and business customers to deploy solar resources.  This includes the 5.4 MW solar installations at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, in partnership with SunPower.
• District 3:  Paradise Valley Unified School District
  Contracted with Green Choice to install one of the largest photovoltaic systems in the state.  The installation came at no cost to the district, will receive guaranteed discounted electric rates for the next 20 years.  
• District 4:  Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center
  Installed a carport solar panel installation that covers 1,600 cars and saves the medical center $375,000 per year in energy costs.  The money saved can be used on patient care.
• District 5:  Maryvale Family YMCA
  In 2008, the YMCA installed a 10 kW system on the gym roof, and last November, built a 30 kW system next to the playing field.  Their efforts have resulted in a 15-20 percent cost savings, which can be used for programming.
• District 6:  Bethany Bible Church
  Invested $3 million in a solar array.  The panels create covered parking and generate 433 kW of energy.  In the first five months since its installation, the array generated more power than the facility used.
• District 7:  Neighborhood Housing Services of Phoenix
  Received a $50,000 grant in 2011 from the Arizona Department of Commerce (now the Governor's Office of Energy Policy), as well as $40,000 in rebates from APS to hire Sky Engineering to install an 18.3 kW photovoltaic system on the roof of their office building.
• District 8:  Salvation Army Kroc Center
  This state-of-the-art facility has 147,000-square-feet of amenities and is touted as the largest community center in Arizona.  Its water sprays, slides, lazy river and indoor water park are heated by 140 panels of solar energy.  In addition, this new center created more than 150 jobs.
• Citywide:  
  National Bank of Arizona Invested $25 million in Solar Phoenix 2, a program that allows homeowners to install solar at an affordable lease rate.  Solar Phoenix 2 was recently recognized by U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu as a national model for residential-energy financing.

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