AriSEIA Files Letter Supporting SunZia

Bureau of Land Management
301 Dinosaur Trail
Santa Fe, NM 87508
 
RE: SunZia Southwest Transmission Line

To Whom it May Concern:

On behalf of the Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association (AriSEIA), we are writing in support of the proposed SunZia Southwest Transmission Line. Our mission is to develop and support opportunities to advance Arizona’s economy through solar energy and storage.

As proponents for fostering a booming solar market, we strongly believe building the infrastructure is a necessary step needed as quickly as possible. Our state has the most solar potential of any in our country and the possibility to become a solar hub. In the last ten years we have seen a 90% drop in the cost of utility-scale solar, a trend we expect to continue as the technology keeps improving and becoming more efficient. Building out crucial renewable infrastructure will also serve as an important incentive for developers looking to expand their renewable projects into our state.

The direct tax revenue brought in would amount to approximately $230 million across the entirety of the line. The solar industry also has potential to generate a greater boost to our economy. In 2021, the solar industry generated over $33 billion of private investment in the American economy. Offering pathways to boosting the solar industry is particularly crucial in this moment when supply chain constraints have led to fluctuations in the solar market for the first time since consistent projections have steadily decreased in price over the past decade.
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Arizona is at a pivotal point in diversifying our energy generation and taking advantage of a prosperous and high-demand industry. Laying the foundation will be a necessary step to tapping into these channels. We ask that the SunZia Southwest Transmission Line be approved.
Sincerely,
 
Autumn T. Johnson
Executive Director
AriSEIA 
(520) 240-4757
autumn@ariseia.org