Arizona utilities required to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050

November 2, 2020
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Image: Tucson Electric Power.

Arizona regulators have approved a plan that will require utilities in the state to receive all their power from carbon-free sources such as solar and wind by 2050.

The Arizona Corporation Commission last week passed the measures, which also include interim carbon reduction targets for regulated utilities of 50% by 2032 and 75% by 2040.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The rules update the state’s 2006 renewable energy standard that requires utilities to source 15% of their power from renewables by 2025.

Arizona Corporation Commissioner Sandra Kennedy said the move represents the beginning of the work the commission needs to do to address the impacts of climate change on public health in the state. “The climate crisis is impacting Arizonans right now. I am glad the commission was finally able to look past partisan politics to support science and economics-based policy that stakeholders, utilities and ratepayers could all agree upon and benefit from,” she added.

While the vote brings Arizona more in line with other western US states – Nevada is also targeting electricity from carbon-free resources by 2050, while is California is mandated to receive all its power from renewable sources by 2045 – electricity providers have already forged ahead with their own goals.

The state’s largest utility, Arizona Public Service, announced plans earlier this year to achieve carbon-free energy by 2050, while Tucson Electric Power is looking to provide 70% of its power from solar and wind by 2035 and reduce carbon emissions across its portfolio by 80% by 2035.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, while Arizona’s solar industry has “tremendous growth opportunity”, public debates surrounding the benefits of the technology and the imposition of a net metering charge in 2014 mean the market “has been turbulent”.

16 June 2026
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 16-17 June 2026, will be our fifth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2027 and beyond.

Read Next

October 27, 2025
Engie has signed additional PPAs with Meta, expanding their partnership to more than 1.3GW across four solar projects in Texas.
October 27, 2025
Waaree Energies has secured four solar module supply contracts totalling 692MW – three for projects in India and one in the US through its subsidiary.
October 27, 2025
US solar technology company Swift Solar has deployed perovskite solar technology as part of a Department of Defence cyber warfare exercise in the state of Virginia.
October 23, 2025
US solar manufacturer T1 Energy sold approximately 725MW of solar modules in Q3 2025, as it continues to expand US manufacturing capabilities.
October 22, 2025
Recurrent Energy, Ampliform and Dimension Energy have announced new financing rounds this month for US solar projects.
October 22, 2025
Leeward Renewable Energy has started commercial operations at its 177MW Ridgely solar project in the US state of Tennessee.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
November 12, 2025
10am PST / 1pm EST
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 10, 2026
Frankfurt, Germany