In a clear sign of things to come, the state of Arizona is set to host a gigantic 2.4 megawatt solar installation on the roof of a food warehouse packed with energy-gobbling refrigerated space. The property owner, Cowley Companies, Inc., is apparently looking to give itself a serious edge in terms of attracting and keeping tenants. The new solar installation will provide electricity about 25% cheaper than conventional rates, and it will enable tenants to identify their brand with the new sustainable future. The announcement comes on the heels of an ominous warning by the U.S. Department of Defense, which foresees a near-term squeeze on oil supplies that could jack up the cost of oil but would leave solar-reliant energy users like Cowley’s tenants sitting pretty.
The announcement also closely follows the Massey coal mine disaster, which has finally pulled the curtain off the true cost of our continued reliance on coal. Climate change deniers are really whistling in the wind when it comes to the energy future of the United States. We are slowly but surely unhooking from the fossil fuel economy and hitching our wagon to a new future that explores heretofore untapped resources, and that means mining the solar power riches of rooftops from coast to coast.