Strategies for Renewable Energy Projects on Arizona’s State Trust Lands

Solar development firms have identified over half a million acres in southwestern Arizona as possible sites for future electric generation facilities. The region is a prime target for such facilities thanks to the sunshine and state mandates to increase renewable energy production. As a major landholder in the state, the Arizona State Land Department is well positioned to benefit from this boom in solar development. However, a series of court decisions and statutory requirements constrain the ASLD’s ability to rapidly proceed with solar energy projects on their land holdings. This working paper explores those opportunities and constraints, and offers five strategies for enabling the ASLD to successfully compete and benefit from the renewable energy boom in the western United States.