GWS Technologies has announced that it has launched an initiative to install solar energy systems in Arizona schools and other state and federal government facilities and has submitted its initial turn-key solar installation proposals.
The initiative follows the Arizona Corporation Commission's recent authorization for the Scottsdale Unified School District to enter into power-purchase agreements for solar systems on two high schools in which the school district will pay a private company for the power.
The decision is seen as allowing schools and other government facilities to benefit from incentives offered by utilities since they are not eligible for federal tax credits.
Last month, the Commission approved a utility request for $143 million in extra incentives for commercial systems, including schools, bringing the total amount to roughly $220 million that the utility could pay out over the lifetime of the solar installations.
"This is another in a series of rulings by Arizona courts and regulators that will promote more renewable energy development in the state," said GWS President Richard Reincke.
"We believe this action by the Arizona Corporation Commission opens the way for commercial-scale installation of solar power on government facilities throughout Arizona and we are aggressively pursuing these new opportunities."
In allowing the contracts with the two high schools, the Commission put off the larger question of whether companies that offer power-purchase agreements for systems on schools and government buildings should be regulated as utilities.
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