Coconino County’s planning commission has approved a wind farm to be built 25 miles north of Flagstaff. It’s the latest in a series of renewable energy projects in the region.

The commission voted 4-2 to approve up to 100 turbines that are expected to reach 640 feet in the air.

Morgan Schwenn is senior development manager for RWE, a Texas based independent power producer that already runs 3,000 turbines across 10 states.

Did you know Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is requesting a transmission line right-of-way (ROW) renewal from the Navajo Nation?

Part 1: TEP and Navajo
Tucson Electric Power, established in 1892, is a utility company based in Tucson, Arizona. In the 1960s, in anticipation of shortages, TEP began to shift from using primarily natural gas and fuel oil to including coal in its energy mix. This led to the construction of the Four Corners power plant near Farmington, New Mexico, in 1965.

Newly translated tool will help more building owners and managers save energy, save money, and reduce emissions from commercial and multifamily buildings

Today, Sept. 19, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the launch of a Spanish-language version of ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, its popular online energy measurement and tracking tool for commercial buildings. Spanish-speaking building owners, managers, and tenants can now create a free, secure account in Portfolio Manager to manage their property’s energy use, water use, waste generation, and greenhouse gas emissions — all in their native language.

“ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager is the industry-standard tool — already used to measure more than 22% of all commercial floor space in the United States,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Increasing accessibility to the tool for Spanish-speaking facility owners, managers, and occupants will provide their businesses with the data and insights to drive energy efficiency improvements, cost savings, and meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Biden Administration has announced more than $7.3 billion to build clean energy for rural communities across the country.

Sandy Bahr, Director of the Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss this new initiative.

This money will be used to finance rural electric cooperatives that will be used through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program. Communities in Arizona will also be receiving some of this money.

In the pursuit of a cleaner and more equitable energy future, it’s crucial to highlight the pivotal role that the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) plays. These initiatives are dedicated to reducing energy burdens and fostering affordable sustainability. Among the most impactful endeavors are the Home Energy Rebate Programs, which allocate nearly $9 billion in energy rebates for American households. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, it’s important to recognize how these rebates can profoundly benefit the Hispanic community, alleviating energy burdens and promoting equitable energy consumption.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed an Executive Order on Wednesday to allocate $25 million in federal funding toward workforce development programs.

In addition, the order includes the creation of the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, which includes various agencies including the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity and the Arizona Commerce Authority in hopes to push all of the state’s different workforce development program as businesses continue to set up shop.

Vilsack visits Marana to highlight Empowering Rural America funds for Trico & Sierra Southwest

The Inflation Reduction Act is bringing financial opportunities to Arizona’s rural communities, including ranchers and farmers, as part of the Empowering Rural America program, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in Marana on Thursday.

The Biden administration official was highlighting more than $600 million in recent financing to support renewable energy in rural Arizona, including $83.5 million to Trico Electric Cooperative to expand battery storage and increase the reliability of electricity for residents on the Pascua Yaqui Reservation.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has released a “Western Solar Plan” outlining a large expansion in solar energy development in 11 Western states.

The plan opens 31 million acres of public land to solar energy. It’s an update to the six-state Western Solar Plan released in 2012. Specific projects would still need to be authorized, but the plan is meant to steer solar developers away from areas that are environmentally or culturally sensitive. It identifies sites that are within 15 miles of an existing or proposed transmission line.

The Hopi tribe will receive $20 million from the federal government as part of a grant that will help deliver reliable electricity to as many as 900 homes that now lack power.

The tribe is one of 34 recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants and one of two in Arizona. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community will receive nearly $10 million for its “Go Green Initiative,” which will fund clean energy initiatives.