Where in the United States would there be a better place to install solar panels on a large scale than in Arizona – the state with sunny, cloudless days year-round? Nowhere, of course! It just makes sense to invest in solar power in Arizona. Why, then, does Arizona rely mostly on polluting sources – such as nuclear power plants and coal-burning technologies – to generate it’s electricity for its power needs? The short answer is that there is no good reason.

Palo Verde, the largest nuclear power station in the United States, lies just 40 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona. Arizona receives much of its energy needs from this nuclear station, but at a great cost. No nuclear power stations can be run for much more than 40 years, and most are decommissioned not long after 20 years for safety reasons. Palo Verde was completed in 1988, which makes it 21 years old. With such a short lifespan, the power generated from plants like Palo Verde is not worth the nuclear waste or the security concerns (Palo Verde has been identified by both foreign governments and the United States Government as a top site for a possible terror attack).

The answers to the questions of environmental impact, security, and safety lie in clean and renewable energies, and solar and wind-generated power will be prime opportunities for Arizona. Not only will the development and implementation of these technologies help generate Arizona’s power needs, but it will ensure that our beautiful Sonoran environment remains pristine, that our children will grow up in a world safe from dangerous and deadly pollutants, and will make Arizona a leader in an emerging market for clean energies. Arizona’s power generation capacity – using solar, hydroelectric, and wind technologies – would supply bordering states with electricity through our surpluses, generating not only power, but revenue for the maintenance of the infrastructure as well. Furthermore, the many jobs these plants will create will provide a steady income and security to innumerable Arizonan families.

Using clean energies in Arizona is a win-win-win situation. A win for jobs, a win for the environment, and a win for Arizona.