Papago Solar

Solar projects provide numerous benefits to the communities in which they are sited. Solar projects represent significant local investments and drive meaningful increases in the local taxable property base. Solar projects also provide guaranteed annual property tax payments to local taxing jurisdictions, which allow county and local officials to make long-term financial plans and increase spending on public services and other critically important infrastructure.

Large-scale solar projects pay millions of dollars per year directly to landowners through lease and easement agreements, resulting in a diversified revenue stream that protects against fluctuating commodity prices and preserves family properties for future generations. In addition, these projects directly create hundreds of full-time equivalent jobs during the construction and installation phases and also support indirect and induced jobs during development and construction.

Yes. Solar power is now one of the cheapest sources of new electricity in most of the world due to declining equipment costs, improved technologies, and public policies which support the generation and use of renewable energy.

In the last decade, the cost to install solar has dropped by more than 40%. According to Lazard’s Levelized Cost of Energy Analysis – Version 17.0 (2024), even without tax credits, new solar resources have a levelized cost of energy in the range of 2.9¢/kWh – 9.2¢/kWh for large-scale solar. This range falls below the levelized cost of energy for new coal or gas combined cycle power production.  These results have been bolstered by the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2025, which found that “Solar PV and wind are now the cheapest sources of electricity in most markets.”

Adding to their growing appeal, solar projects are uniquely able to sell their electricity output at a fixed price over the life of the project because the “fuel” is free and not subject to increases in commodity fuel prices.

Because the photovoltaic (PV) panel materials are enclosed and do not mix with water or vaporize into the air, there is little-to-no risk of chemicals, including greenhouse gases, being released into the environment during normal use. Crystalline silicon PV panels, which are extremely common and used worldwide do not pose a material risk of toxicity to public health and safety.

All solar facilities are designed to strict electrical safety standards to ensure safe operation. Product safety standards, installation requirements, and building codes for solar facilities are addressed by the National Fire Protection Agency’s National Electric code, the International Code Council’s International Fire Code, the International Association of Firefighters, and several other safety product and standards groups.

The National Electric Code requires appropriate levels of warning on all electrical components. The Papago Solar Project will be surrounded by a fence at least six feet in height, with three strands of barbed wire on top as an added protection measure.

Glint refers to the direct reflection of the sun on a solar panel. Glare is a continuing source of brightness, not the direct reflection of the sun. Solar arrays are designed to absorb light and produce electricity, not reflect it. The panels that we will use for the Papagp Solar Project have an anti-reflective coating, which helps to increase the amount of light absorbed into the cell, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing glare and allowing the panels to blend in more easily with the surrounding area.

The Papago Solar Project will be monitored during operating hours by onsite staff. The entire property will also be monitored remotely 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Examining property values across the United States demonstrates that large-scale solar projects like the Papago Solar Project have no measurable impact on the value of the adjacent properties, and in some cases, may even have positive effects. Studies also show that proximity to solar projects does not deter the sales of agricultural or residential land.

Maintenance crews will maintain the perimeter and interior landscaping within the project boundaries. The interior ground cover shall not exceed 18 inches, with a typical maximum height of 12 inches, so that it doesn’t interfere with the panels or other electrical components.

While producing electricity with photovoltaics emits no pollution, produces no greenhouse gas emissions, and uses no finite fossil fuel resources, it has been argued that solar power has a hidden carbon footprint due to solar panel manufacturing and project construction. Both fossil fuel and non-fossil fuel power technologies induce life-cycle greenhouse emissions that stem from the energy requirements for their construction and operation. Known as a “carbon debt,” this debt of energy must be paid off to calculate how solar projects reduce emissions over their lifetime. A typical utility-scale solar project—like the Papagp Solar Project—repays its carbon debt in roughly 12 months or less, providing decades of zero emission energy.

When sited and developed properly, the installation of a solar facility will have minimal impacts on wildlife in the area. In fact, studies show that solar facilities can provide shelter for species, promote land stability, preserve habitat, and support biodiversity.

Natural resource assessments have been conducted on the Papago Solar Project site to determine presence, if any, of federally- or state-listed species and critical habitat. The results of the assessments have been shared with state and federal regulatory agencies and consultation will be conducted as needed. No protected natural resources were identified across the project footprint.

The project will include the planting of a site-specific native seed mix containing a wide variety of native grasses common to the region. By incorporating native plant species throughout the project area, it is expected that the project will contribute to soil health and fertility, wildlife habitat, and forage areas.

A wetland delineation was performed on the Papago Solar Project site and no wetlands were identified on the site. The US Army Corps of Engineers concluded that no official jurisdictional determination was necessary. The project is also implementing a stormwater pollution prevention plan which includes BMPs designed to avoid impacts to surface water quality.

The construction of the Papago Solar Project will not require toxic chemicals or processes. PV panels typically consist of glass, aluminum, copper, silver, and semiconductor materials that can be successfully recovered and reused. Because the PV panel materials are enclosed and do not mix with water or vaporize into the air, there is little-to-no risk of chemicals, including greenhouse gases, being released into the environment during normal use. Crystalline silicon PV panels, an extremely common panel variant used around the world, “do not pose a material risk of toxicity to public health and safety.”

In addition, to provide decades of corrosion-free operation, panels like the ones that will be used for the Papago Solar Project, are encapsulated from air and moisture between two layers of plastic. The encapsulation layers are further protected with a layer of tempered glass on the front and a polymer sheet on the back. For decades, this same material has been used between layers of tempered glass to give car windshields and hurricane windows their great strength, allowing them to stay intact even if damage occurs.

The Papago Solar Project will use a solar panel tracking system, allowing the reflective surfaces to align with the sun as it moves across the sky. Therefore, due to continuous tilt, water will not collect on the panels during rainstorms. The rainwater that runs off the panels is absorbed into the ground, nurturing vegetation located under the panels. All stormwater on the site will be managed by a stormwater management system, which will be protective of local water quality.

PV panels typically consist of glass, aluminum, copper, silver and semiconductor materials than can be successfully recovered and reused at the end of their useful life. Alternatively, solar PV components can be reused or refurbished to have a “second life” of generating electricity.

Solar projects are low impact and coexist well with agriculture, operating without any impact to adjacent agricultural properties. A solar project’s lifespan allows the soil in the project area to rest and replenish nutrients. Native vegetation can grow under the panels, allowing the land to retain water and topsoil, improving soil health over time. After decommissioning occurs at the end of the Project’s life, the land can revert to its previous agricultural use.

There will be no concrete poured around piles holding up tracker rows. There will be limited amounts of concrete for inverter pads and at the substation.

The Papago Solar Project will be designed in accordance with Arizona Department of Transportation and Development safety guidelines. Signage and flagging will be implemented during construction as required. After construction is complete, the daily traffic will be reduced to one or two standard-size vehicles.

We anticipate that the Papago Solar Project will have a 10-month construction timeline. Construction will only occur during daylight hours Monday-Friday, and some work may occur on Saturdays. We do not anticipate construction activities taking place on Sundays.