Greater Phoenix Economic Council Latest News
The latest on renewable energy in Arizona
Friday, December 9, 2011 - 11:22am
By Matthew Cardinale, Inter Press Service News Agency ATLANTA, Georgia, Nov 27, 2011 (IPS) - In the western desert state of Arizona, a company called EnviroMission is planning to build a new solar tower, the first of its kind, an ambitious new way to produce energy with heat from the sun. When completed in 2015, the tower, located in La Paz County, will be the tallest structure in the United States, and the second tallest in the world. It is the first of two such towers planned by EnviroMission for Arizona. While it is a solar power source, it does not rely on the same technology as solar...
Thursday, October 20, 2011 - 12:16pm
By Patrick O'Grady, Phoenix Business Journal  Arizona ranks third in the U.S. in the number of jobs related to the solar industry, with nearly 5 percent of the nation’s solar workers residing in the state. The report, released Monday by the Solar Foundation and Green LMI, showed Arizona has about 980 businesses dedicated to the industry, employing 4,786 people. That puts Arizona behind only California and Colorado and makes the state one of the leading job creators in the industry, which totals 100,237 workers in the U.S. That’s up from about 93,000 last year. Click the...
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 - 9:57am
World-class technology leader shines in Gilbert's clean & renewable energy sector   DALLAS, Oct 18, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Colnatec LLC, a leading solar technology company in Gilbert, Arizona's growing clean & renewable energy sector, is presenting its new Helios(TM) Vapor Phase Film Thickness System and other solar cell manufacturing solutions at the Solar Power International (SPI) Conference being held October 18-20, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. Representatives from Gilbert's Economic Development Office (located in the Arizona Public Service booth #5913) will be promoting Gilbert's...
Monday, June 6, 2011 - 1:11pm
Domestic renewable energy hubs emerge By Ann Moline, Site Selection Magazine When German silicon producer Wacker Chemie AG originally announced the selection of Cleveland, Tenn., as the site of a new US$1-billion, fully integrated polysilicon factory in February 2009, it represented the second solar industry announcement for the state that winter. Hemlock Semiconductor, a Wacker competitor in the polycrystalline silicon space, had said in December 2008 it planned to open a $1.2-billion production facility in the state, near Clarksville.  Twenty-one months after its land deal, Wacker...
Sunday, September 19, 2010 - 3:56pm
By Rachael Myer, OpportunityGreaterPhoenix.com California-based Power-One, the world’s second-largest manufacturer of power inverters for the renewable energy industry, will open its first North American manufacturing facility in Phoenix. Power-One is the sixth renewable energy company to move to Greater Phoenix since January because of the state’s landmark Renewable Energy Tax Incentive Program. The company is the 12th to move an operation from California to Arizona in the last two years. Power-One announced its move during a Thursday press conference at the Greater Phoenix...
Thursday, August 19, 2010 - 4:13pm
By Rachel Meyer, OpportunityGreaterPhoenix.com     Mack Macready (Suntech project manager) and Martin Guo (future general manager of the Goodyear factory) are pleased with the construction progress to date. Suntech’s Goodyear AZ factory is on schedule to go into full production in 4Q of this year. Global market demand is extremely strong and Suntech is expanding its worldwide capacity to meet the demand. Download Suntech report Suntech is hiring for its United States manufacturing headquarters in Goodyear. Application information is available on...
Wednesday, August 11, 2010 - 2:00pm
By Rachael Myer, www.opportunitygreaterphoenix.com    The City of Surprise announced today that the Spanish solar manufacturer, Rioglass Solar, will locate to the city and create jobs for the Arizonans. Pictured are: Michael Bidwill, chairman of Greater Phoenix Economic Council Executive Committee and a board member on the Arizona Commerce Authority; José Maria Villanueva, president and CEO of Rioglass Solar; Surprise Mayor Lyn Truitt; Arizona Governor Jan Brewer SURPRISE – Now the fifth company drawn to Arizona because of renewable energy legislation, Rioglass...
Tuesday, August 3, 2010 - 3:48pm
Ariz. 1st in country for renewable energy State also takes top ranking for solar manufacturing By Rachael Myer, OpportunityGreaterPhoenix.com Only a year after Arizona passed landmark renewable energy legislation, the state is now the “established solar energy king” and the country’s Alternative Energy Industry Leader, according to Business Facilities’ 2010 Rankings Report.   Arizona easily took the top ranking as the Alternative Energy Industry Leader and also earned the top spot as the Solar Energy Manufacturing Leader. The state also placed in the top...
Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 8:56am
Kris Mayes, chairman of the Arizona Corporation Commission, speaks about solar regulation on PBS Channel 8 Horizon. By Rachael Myer, www.opportunitygreaterphoenix.com A recent Arizona Corporation Commission decision will increase the solar market in Arizona by easing the process for schools, government entities, and nonprofits to buy electricity from solar companies. The Arizona Corporation Commission unanimously approved SolarCity’s request for solar service agreements that will prevent schools and non-profits from spending upfront costs. The...
Monday, May 10, 2010 - 10:28am
Representative Tom Boone, R-Dist. 4 Senator Ed Bunch, R-Dist. 7 Senator John Huppenthal, R-Dist. 20 Senate President Pro Tempore Barbara Leff, R-Dist. 11 Representative Warde V. Nichols, R-Dist. 21 By Rachael Myer, www.opportunitygreaterphoenix.com The Arizona Legislature approved solar incentives in the final days of the 2010 session that solar companies say will dovetail the state’s landmark Renewable Energy Tax Incentive Program. Economic development officials say the four bills will...