[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 35 (Thursday, March 11, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE FOR HISTORIC SOLAR ARRAY

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                         HON. RAUL M. GRIJALVA

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 11, 2010

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Arizona Western 
College, a community college in southwestern Arizona that serves over 
13,000 full-time and part-time students in Yuma and La Paz Counties. 
Arizona Western College, in collaboration with Arizona Public Service 
and Power Purchase Agreement Inc., will be establishing the largest 
array of solar energy panels of any college in the country. The total 
solar installation, which will be on the college's main campus in Yuma, 
Arizona, will be 5 megawatts, generating enough energy to cover 100% of 
the college's energy needs.
  The installation will also be a testing site for manufacturers around 
the world as well as the foundation for education and workforce 
development in renewable energy technology. Arizona Western College is 
in the process of developing curriculum in solar energy technology, 
ranging from occupational certificates to an associate's degree program 
while plans to partner with university programs for bachelor and 
master's degrees are also underway. The installation will not only 
provide a source of clean energy for the campus, but it will also help 
train the next generation of ``green collar'' professionals. While the 
solar array will most surely change the face of the local economy, it 
also has the potential to impact solar technology research and 
education on a national and global scale. By training individuals in 
these technologies and supporting technological advances in solar 
energy production, Arizona Western College is leading the way to a 
clean energy economy.
  Arizona Western College's decision to enter this partnership will 
help reduce our country's dependence on unsustainable fossil fuels, 
actions which I applaud. By investing in renewable energy technologies 
and research, Arizona Western College will help make these technologies 
more affordable and readily available across America. Our country has 
been at the forefront of past technological revolutions, and with 
Arizona Western College spearheading the effort, America will be the 
leading innovator in solar energy technology.
  This project takes us one step closer to establishing a sustainable 
energy future. As a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, 
I not only admire but also wholeheartedly support Arizona Western 
College's initiative to help lead the country in developing 
technologies that will help harness the power of the sun.

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