Arizona Corporation Commission
1200 W. Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
 
RE: Support for SunZia Southwest Transmission Line (Docket No. L-00000YY-15-0318-00171)
 
Chairman and Members of the Line Siting Committee,
​
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, storage, and electrification.

As proponents for fostering a booming solar market, we strongly believe in building clean energy infrastructure, which is a necessary step to further the energy transition. Our state has immense solar potential 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.[1] Building out crucial renewable infrastructure will also serve as an important incentive for developers looking to expand their renewable projects into our state.

This line is expected to bring in millions of dollars in direct tax revenue across the entirety of the line. The “direct impacts of the Project’s development in Arizona are estimated to be approximately $585 million.”[2] The project is also expected to add hundreds of new jobs, dozens of which will be permanent. The renewables industry has potential to generate a major boon to our economy. In 2021, the solar industry generated over $33 billion of private investment in the American economy.[3] Offering pathways to boosting the renewables industry is particularly crucial in this moment when supply chain constraints have led to fluctuations in the market for the first time since consistent projections have steadily decreased in price over the past decade.

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

[1] Lazard, Levelized Cost of Energy, available here https://www.lazard.com/perspective/levelized-cost-of-energy-levelized-cost-of-storage-and-levelized-cost-of-hydrogen/.

[2] Moss Adams, SunZia Transmission Project Economic and Fiscal Impacts Analysis, June 23, 2021, page 3.

[3] Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Solar Industry Research Data, available here https://www.seia.org/solar-industry-research-data#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20the%20solar%20industry%20generated%20more%20than%20%2433%20billion%20of%20private%20investment%20in%20the%20American%C2%A0economy. 

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.
​
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