WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) today released a new policy report, “Deploying Solar Power in the State of Arizona: A Brief Overview of the Solar-Water Nexus,” that provides a detailed look at the potential water-energy crisis in Arizona developing as a result of the rush to deploy water-intensive solar production in the state.
“While solar is a renewable resource, Arizona’s water is not,” said Senator Kyl. “Policymakers have an obligation to protect the state’s limited water supply and put its water resources to their highest and best use. Using Arizona’s water supplies to produce conventional CSP (Concentrating Solar Power), much of which will be exported out of state, does neither.”
A major objective of federal and state energy policy is to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy technology and invest in its development. Government-created incentives and mandates are being established to accomplish this objective. In Arizona, the state Corporation Commission has already mandated that electrical utilities generate at least 15 percent of their power from renewable sources, such as solar — and some would like to see that number set even higher in the future.
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