Arizona Erupts As APS Betrays Its 100% Clean Energy Promise For Gas Profits

While many utilities talk a good game about clean energy, Arizona Public Service (APS) has actually put their money where their mouth is. The company made a bold commitment to achieve 100% clean, carbon-free energy by 2050. Not just empty promises either. They’ve established concrete interim targets—65% clean energy by 2030, with renewables making up 45% of that mix. Pretty impressive stuff from a major utility.

APS isn’t just sitting around waiting for 2050 to roll around. They’ve already hit about 50% clean energy as of 2021. That’s real progress. They’ve added 440 megawatts of solar and wind recently, plus signed agreements for 420 MW of battery storage. The company isn’t messing around.

Coal is on its way out too. APS plans to completely eliminate coal-fired production by 2031. Good riddance to dirty energy. They’re balancing this shift while trying to keep service reliable and bills affordable. Not exactly a cakewalk.

The whole initiative is voluntary, by the way. Arizona doesn’t have legally binding clean energy mandates like some states. APS is actually the seventh U.S. utility to adopt such an ambitious target. Their progress is tracked annually for transparency. No hiding behind corporate mumbo jumbo.

They’re calling their updated goal “carbon-neutral,” which involves offsetting whatever emissions they can’t eliminate. Think carbon capture or investments in green projects elsewhere. Practical approach, really.

Collaboration seems to be their thing. APS works with customers, community partners, and businesses to implement clean energy solutions. They’ve even partnered with tech companies to develop innovative energy management programs. Their transition plan allocates $144 million to support communities around Four Corners and Cholla power plants. Smart move.

The mix of renewables, nuclear, and energy storage technologies forms the backbone of their strategy. Battery installations help solve the whole “sun doesn’t always shine” problem with solar. Technology keeps improving too, making the goals more achievable. This approach aligns with the global trend where energy storage remains a significant challenge for renewable energy implementation.

APS’s commitment represents real leadership in the utility sector. This significant announcement was made on January 22, 2020 and has received endorsement from sustainability leaders like Dan Bakal from Ceres. Let’s see if they deliver.