Solar
Nov 12, 2024
Stephen Roe Lewis: Pioneering Solar-Powered Canals for a Sustainable Future
Stephen Roe Lewis, Governor of the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona, is leading innovative projects to transform irrigation canals into solar power systems, aiming for a net-zero tribe.
Under Governor Stephen Roe Lewis’s leadership, the Gila River Indian Community has initiated a groundbreaking project to convert irrigation canals into solar-powered systems. In October, the community’s first solar canal began generating power, providing both solar energy and reducing water evaporation. This pilot project, funded with $5.65 million from the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, covers half a mile of irrigation canals and produces roughly 1 megawatt of power. Lewis emphasizes the need for a federal “moonshot” initiative to tackle aridification and advocates for renewable energy development on Indian Reservations, which has historically faced many constraints. Read more.
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solar
Aug 8, 2025
U.S. Solar Capacity Keeps Growing Despite Trump’s Rollback of Federal Support
Despite President Trump’s rollback of federal solar subsidies and tax incentives, U.S. utility‑scale solar capacity rose approximately 10% year‑over‑year by mid‑2025—though growth slowed from 33% in 2024—highlighting regional disparities with strong gains in Arizona and slower growth in California and Florida.
solar
Aug 5, 2025
Republican Senators Place Hold on Treasury Nominees Over Wind and Solar Credit Rollout
Several GOP senators have blocked key Treasury Department nominees in protest, citing concerns that overly strict implementation of wind and solar tax credit phase-outs could stall renewable projects nationwide.