With another study and grade on Arizona, Gila Counties grade for each category was mixed when it came to the Renewable Energies in the Rockies report card. Gila County was given a C- for Biomass (Tonnes/year), B+ for Solar (Solar Energy Resource Potentential - million MWh/year), D for Wind (Mean Power Class), & a B under the Geothermal category (HF - mW/m2).
Maricopa, Pima, Pinal and Navajo counties in Arizona earn A grades for having outstanding biomass, solar and geothermal energy potential, according to "Renewable Energy in the Rockies," a report within the 2008 Colorado College State of the Rockies Report Card.
The Rocky Mountain region, with its ample solar, wind & geothermal resources, as well as excellent biomass potential, is well positioned to become a world-class production region for renewable energy, the report says.
State of the Rockies researcher and report author Elizabeth Kolbe analyzed each county in the eight-state region and assigned grades showing each county's potential for biomass, solar, wind and geothermal energy. The analysis highlights which counties, when supplemented with the necessary labor and infrastructure, are best poised to take advantage of a renewable energy boom.
Maricopa and Pinal counties earned the highest marks overall, both scoring A's for their biomass, solar and geothermal potential, and D+'s for wind power, the renewable energy resource that gets low grades across the state. Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties showed the lowest potential for renewable energy overall, with low marks across the board.
Highlights from Arizona's renewable energy potential report card:
Solar Potential
Arizona fares very well in grades for solar energy potential: Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal and Yavapai counties all earned A grades, and Graham County earned an A-. Lowest on the solar scale were Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties, with a D and a D+, respectively.
Geothermal Potential
Much of the state scored well for geothermal potential, with A grades going to Maricopa, Pinal, Pima, Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Mohave, Navajo and Yavapai counties. Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties had the least potential for geothermal energy, each scoring D's.
Wind Power Potential
Wind power is the least feasible renewable energy option for Arizona, based on the analysis. The entire state scored poorly, with Graham and Cochise counties earning the best grades in that category, each of them scoring a C-.
Biomass Potential
Maricopa County is a biomass hot spot for the entire 8-state Rockies region. The dense population of Maricopa generates waste that can be transformed into energy through landfill gas, wastewater gas and urban wood residues. Pima, Pinal and Navajo counties also earned A's for biomass potential. Yuma County earned an A-. Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties had little biomass potential, scoring a D and a D+, respectively.
Among regional findings of the "Renewable Energy in the Rockies" report:
* Energy use in the Rocky Mountain region is 9% less than the U.S. average & consumers' monthly bills are 17% lower than the national average.
* Five of the 8 Rockies states are among the top 15 windiest in the country.
* Wind is currently the leading installed renewable resource in the Rockies.
* Seven of the 8 Rocky Mountain states register as superior solar sources.
* The region stands out nationally for its geothermal resources.
* As of 2004, only 2 states in the region - Montana & Wyoming - were net exporters of electricity.
* Regionally, Wyoming burns the highest percentage of coal, which fuels more than 97% of the state's electricity.
* The 3 highest energy-using states in the Rockies are Idaho, Nevada & Arizona.